History of the House Awareness and Preservation Act
PL 106-99 (H.R.2303), enacted 11/12/1999

113 STAT. 1330 
PUBLIC LAW 106-99—NOV. 12, 1999 
Public Law 106-99 
106th Congress 
An Act 
Nov. 12, 1999 
To direct the Librarian of Congress to prepare the history of the House of Representa-
[H R 2303] 
tives, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
History of the 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
House Awareness 
and Preservation 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
Act 
2 use 183 note. 
"^^^^ ^^^ "^^y ^^ cited as the "History of the House Awareness 
and Preservation Act". 
2 use 183. 
SEC. 2. WRITTEN HISTORY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to available funding and in accord-
ance with the requirements of this Act, the Librarian of Congress 
shall prepare, print, distribute, and arrange for the funding of, 
a new and complete written history of the House of Representatives, 
in consultation with the Committee on House Administration. In 
preparing this written history, the Librarian of Congress shall 
consult, commission, or engage the services or participation of, 
eminent historians. Members, and former Members of the House 
of Representatives. 
(b) GUIDELINES.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Librarian 
of Congress shall take into account the following: 
(1) The history should be an illustrated, narrative history 
of the House of Representatives, organized chronologically. 
(2) The history's intended audience is the general reader, 
as well as Members of Congress and their staffs. 
(3) The history should include a discussion of the First 
and Second Continental Congresses and the Constitutional 
Convention, especially with regard to their roles in creating 
the House of Representatives. 
(c) PRINTING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Librarian of Congress shall arrange 
for the printing of the history. 
(2) 
PRINTING 
ARRANGEMENTS.—The 
printing 
may 
be 
performed— 
(A) by the Public Printer pursusmt to the provisions 
of chapter 5 of title 44, United States Code; 
(B) under a cooperative arrangement among the 
Librarian of Congress, a private funding source obtained 
pursuant to subsection (e), and a publisher in the private 
sector; or 
(C) under subparagraphs (A) and (B). 
PUBLIC LAW 106-99—NOV. 12, 1999 
113 STAT. 1331 
(3) INTERNET DISSEMINATION.—Any arrangement under 
paragraph (2) shall include terms for dissemination of the his-
tory over the Internet via facilities maintained by the United 
States Government. 
(4) MEMBER COPIES.—To the extent that the history is 
printed by the Public Printer, copies of the history provided 
to the Congress under subsection (d) shall be charged to the 
Government 
Printing Office's 
congressional allotment 
for 
printing and binding. 
(d) DISTRIBUTION.—The Librarian of Congress shall make the 
history available for sale to the public, and shall make available, 
free of charge, 5 copies to each Member of the House of Representa-
tives and 250 copies to the Senate. 
(e) PRIVATE FUNDING.—The Librarian of Congress shall solicit 
and accept funding for the preparation, publication, marketing, 
and public distribution of the history from private individuals, 
organizations, or entities. 
SEC. 3. ORAL 
fflSTORY 
OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 
2 USC 183a. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Librarian of Congress shall accept for 
deposit, preserve, maintain, and make accessible an oral history 
of the House of Representatives, as told by its Members and former 
Members, compiled and updated (on a voluntary or contract basis) 
by the United States Association of Former Members of Congress 
or other private organization. In carrjdng out this section, the 
Librarian of Congress may enlist the voluntary aid or assistance 
of such organization, or may contract with it for such services 
as may be necessary. 
(b) DEFINITION OF ORAL HISTORY.—In this section, the term 
"oral history" means a story or history consisting of personal recol-
lection as recorded by any one or more of the following means: 
(1) Interviews. 
(2) Transcripts. 
(3) Audio recordings. 
(4) Video recordings. 
(5) Such other form or means as may be suitable for the 
recording and preservation of such information. 
SEC. 4. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS, 
It is the sense of the Congress that— 
(1) orientation programs for freshman Members of the 
House of Representatives should contain a seminar on the 
history of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Speaker of the House of Representatives should 
conduct a series of forums on the topic of the history of the 
House of Representatives. 
Approved November 12, 1999. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2303: 
~^ 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 145 (1999): 
Oct. 25, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 29, considered and passed Senate.