-----Original Message-----
From: Deloris Williams [mailto:zhazaimyah@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 11:00 AM
To: GREEN-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: [GREEN] All Genealogist and Researchers- Save Our Access to Birth
Records
This was in Today's Ancestry Daily News which I felt was of importance to
everyone doing research. I would urge everyone to contact their Congressman
immediately to stop this bill from restricting our access to these vital
documents. Feel free to pass this along to anyone else interested in this.
Deloris Williams
Immediate Action Requested
Legislation in Congress Seeks to Restrict Access to Birth Records;
FGS Recommends Writing to Your Congressional Representatives
The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill, House Resolution 10
(H.R. 10), which seeks to restrict access to birth certificates. This bill,
which purpose is to respond to the threat of terrorism, is on a fast track
to passage and has been voted on by several committees already. Your help is
needed now.
David Rencher, Chairman of the Record Access and Preservation Committee, a
joint committee of the National Genealogical Society and Federation of
Genealogical Societies, has sent a letter to the bill's sponsor, Congressman
Dennis Hastert, recommending an amendment to the bill as follows:
"However, nothing in this Chapter 2 shall be construed to require a State to
change its law with respect to public access to (A) non-certified copies of
birth certificates, or to (B) birth certificates or birth records once a
period of 100 years has elapsed from the date of creation of the certificate
or record."
A copy of the letter is available on the FGS site at
www.fgs.org/rpa/formalactions.htm.
To view this bill, go to
http://thomas.loc.gov.
Enter HR 10 in the search box for "Bill Number."
Action Is Needed Now
Because this bill is moving toward passage so quickly, it is urged that the
genealogical community take action immediately and let their representatives
know that they are in support of David Rencher's amendment and the FGS
position in this important matter. To find your state representative's
contact information, go to
www.house.gov/writerep/.
How Should I Word My Letter?
While you should word the letter in any way that is comfortable for you, it
is recommended that you include the following as a portion of the letter:
"While I support the intention to increase security to protect the U.S. from
terrorists and those who wish to improperly take U.S. identities, I am
concerned that those researching their family's history continue to have
access to non-certified birth records.
Therefore, in order to support HR-10 I ask that you amend HR-10 Section
3063(d)(2) by adding the following wording to the existing paragraph:
'However, nothing in this Chapter 2 shall be construed to require a State to
change its law with respect to public access to (A) non-certified copies of
birth certificates or to (B) birth certificates or birth records once a
period of 100 years has elapsed from the date of creation of the certificate
or record.'
I believe that this additional language is imperative so that the states do
not react by restricting all certificates to comply with the law, rather
than dealing with certified as opposed to non-certified birth certificates.
This proposed amendatory language would remind them that they can and should
be treated differently."
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