BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6122 to revise the authority of the Librarian of Congress to accept gifts and bequests on behalf of the Library, and for other purposes. This bill simply authorizes the Librarian of Congress to accept nonmonetary gifts of securities, personal property valued at $25,000 or less, and voluntary and uncompensated personal services. The Librarian is required to disclose a description of each gift or bequest valued at $1,000 or more in the Annual Report of the Library of Congress.

Over its history, the Library has been offered various types of donations that it has not had authority to accept. These would include donations of IT equipment, audiovisual equipment, and volunteer services outside of the American Folklife Center or the Center for the Book. While the Library is currently authorized to accept monetary gifts, this bill authorizes benevolent individuals to give back to the Library in other ways that would be beneficial to the Library's mission and therefore to this Congress and to the United States.

I would urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 6122, and I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT