HB 1.015 Congressional Library Act

In the House of Representatives of the United States, Mr. Pratt, for himself, offers a bill, to be known as the Congressional Library Act of 1789, to provide for the establishment of the Congressional Library, and for other purposes.



The following shall be added to the US Code, Title VIII.

"CHAPTER 1. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY

There shall be appropriated $40,000 for the establishment of the Congressional Library, to serve as the primary research institution for members of the legislative, executive and judicial branches and their staffers, and the primary national library of the United States of America. Funds shall be used for the purchase of such books, maps, materials and other items that shall be necessary for the use of Congress, the hiring of no more than 50 individuals to maintain such libraries, and for the purchase, fitting and/or construction of any required buildings.



SECTION 2. MAINTENANCE OF THE CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY

(a) Hereafter $7,000 per year shall be appropriated to the Congressional Library for purposes of retaining staff, meeting maintenance costs, and expanding collections as necessary. Such figure shall be tied to the rate of inflation and may be modified by Congress.

(b) A Chief Librarian, to be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, and to remain in such role until death, retirement or impeachment, shall, barring congressional override, dictate library policies on:

(i) employee compensation
;
(ii) returns and borrowing policy with regards to books, on the condition regular members of the public and non-US citizens may not, without explicit Presidential or Chief Librarian authorization, take borrowed books outside library property, and members of Congress shall not have such right to borrow books intruded on, barring misconduct relating to library activities on that member's behalf
;
(iii) lobbying Congress on behalf of the Library to change statutory limits on budgetary and employment figures imposed on the Library, in order to ensure Congress is aware of when the library's needs change;
(iv) organising cooperation with institutions of learning both domestically and internationally; and
(v) other factors of Library management
.


SECTION 3. OTHER PROVISIONS

(a) The Congressional Library shall establish no less than four branches in order to improve access to its materials for members unable to reach the capital. Such branches shall be located in:

(i) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
;
(ii) Boston, Massachusetts
;
(iii) Baltimore, Maryland
;
(iv) New York City, New York, where the main branch shall be located unless the capital is moved
; and
(v) the capital of the United States, assuming it moves from New York City to one of those not listed above.
(b) The Congressional Library shall establish a program to foster and assist the growth, development and success of higher education institutions within the United States, particularly in the fields of science, medicine, social sciences, law, engineering, industrial trades, and military strategy. Such program shall be appropriated $5,000 per year, which shall be tied to inflation and shall establish offices in the following cities (and shall receive whatever appropriations necessary to construct and maintain such offices):

(i) New York City, New York
;
(ii) Boston, Massachusetts
;
(iii) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
;
(iv) Baltimore, Maryland
;
(v) Charleston, South Carolina
; and
(vi) the capital of the United States, assuming it moves from New York City to one of those not listed above.
Any employees hired to maintain this program shall not count towards the 50 employee limit for the Library.

© The Congressional Library shall create a scientific foundation, to have meeting places at the four/five branches outlined in Section III.a, to promote the sciences, provide a meeting place for those interested in scientific innovations and inventions and funding and investing in such innovations and inventions, and to promote scientific ingenuity in the United States. Such program shall be appropriated $2,000 per year, which shall be tied to inflation.

(d) The Congressional Library shall establish museums, to promote the accurate and detailed teaching of American history, promote the growth and recognition of American artwork and engineering, and promote the increase and diffusion of knowledge. Such program shall be appropriated $5,000 per year, which shall be tied to inflation, and shall establish offices in the following cities (and shall receive whatever appropriations necessary to construct and maintain such offices):

(i) New York City, New York
;
(ii) Boston, Massachusetts
;
(iii) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
;
(iv) Baltimore, Maryland
;
(v) Charleston, South Carolina
;
(vi) the capital of the United States, assuming it moves from New York City to one of those not listed above.
Any employees hired to maintain this program shall not count towards the 50 employee limit for the Library.

(e) The Congressional Library shall establish an office, with employee levels to not count for the Library's employee limit yet to be decided by the Chief Librarian and compensation paid for out of the Library budget, for the purpose of recording transcripts of Congressional meetings, including committee hearings and debates, and for ensuring copies are accessible to members of Congress and the executive and judicial branches, and also the press and public except in cases of confidentiality to be determined by the Chief Librarian in coordination with Congressional leadership."