Goodlatte Legislation To Establish Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library In Staunton Passes House Committeeg

Press Release

GOODLATTE LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH WOODROW WILSON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN STAUNTON PASSES HOUSE COMMITTEEG

Today Congressman Goodlatte announced that the House of Representatives' Committee on Oversight and Government Reform passed H.R. 1664, legislation to establish the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum at his birthplace in Staunton, Virginia, out of the Committee by unanimous consent. This bipartisan legislation was introduced by Representative Goodlatte.

"As a statesman, scholar, and President, Woodrow Wilson faced economic crisis, democratic decay, and a world war," said Goodlatte. "Presidential historians agree that World War I, and President Wilson's leadership, radically altered the role of diplomacy as a tool of foreign policy—a policy that established a new path for America's role in promoting democracies throughout the world."

"Woodrow Wilson, President from 1913 to 1921, is the most important recent President without a Presidential library or repository of important records. The establishment of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum will enable folks to learn more about the life and work of our nation's 28th President," continued Goodlatte.

This legislation will create grants from the National Archives for the establishment of a Presidential Library to provide educational and interpretive services to honor the life of Woodrow Wilson. To ensure that a public-private partnership exists, H.R. 1664 also mandates that no grant shall be available for the establishment of this library until a private entity has raised at least twice the amount to be allocated by the Congress. Finally, once the library is complete, this legislation states that the Federal government shall have no role or responsibility for the operation of the library.

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