Has anyone seen this yet...? I couln't access the part that explains this
birth records restriction on that bill H.R. 10
it is a real bill, and they are asking for restrictions....Shar
Please pass this along to your lists. We need to get
this information out to the public.
This was posted on Ancestry Daily News. You can
find it online at
www.ancestry.com/dailynews
Issue: October 7, 2004
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."