On September 26, the U.S. Senate passed the Presidential Historical Records Preservation Act, sponsored by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) and Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), to ensure that grant funding is available to preserve the documents of presidents who served before President Herbert Hoover.

The House of Representatives approved its version of the bill, sponsored by U.S. Reps. Robert Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Tom Davis (R-Va.), on September 27. It now goes to President Bush to be signed into law.

Through the Presidential Library Act of 1955, the National Archives and Records Administration manages and maintains 12 presidential libraries, from presidents Hoover to Clinton. These facilities are privately constructed and deeded to the federal government, and house official records and papers of those former presidents.

But the documents of pre-Hoover presidents, who have no libraries of their own, also deserve careful historical preservation. Due to the geographic distribution of those papers, it is unlikely that a single library dedicated to such conservation will ever be built.

This legislation provides modest grants on a competitive, discretionary basis to worthwhile nonprofits and state or local governments willing to engage in such preservation efforts, and will ensure public access to preserved records. Grant recipients must provide a 100-percent match to all federal government monies, and the archivist of the United States, charged with safeguarding historical documents, will decide which records are appropriate for preservation.

“Our founding fathers understood the need to preserve important documents for future generations,” says Warner. “Thomas Jefferson once said that ‘a morsel of genuine history is a thing so rare as to be always valuable.’ It is my hope that current and future generations will look upon the examples of those who came before and learn from their accomplishments, as well as their mistakes.”

“This bill will help the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library Foundation, and other non-profit entities like it, preserve and make available to the public the historical records and documents of American Presidents,” says Webb. “Our country will be better off for having an improved, more complete understanding of American Presidents and their legacies. I was pleased to work with Senator Warner, the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, and the National Archives to successfully create this competitive grant program.”

“I am extremely pleased that the U.S. Congress unanimously passed the Presidential Historical Records Preservation Act which will help organizations, like the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, preserve our nation’s history,” says Goodlatte. “The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library has been a national leader in document preservation and restoration. They, along with other historical organizations, will benefit from the grants that will be made available through this legislation. We will ensure that future generations have access to the records that tell the story of our nation’s most important leaders and their dedication to our country.”

“Like many of our nation's presidents, this bill has its roots in Virginia," says Davis. “The important mission of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, Virginia and the determination the individuals there, combined to move this legislation forward. In these trying times, we do ourselves a tremendous service to preserve history and to seek to understand the lessons it teaches.”

Eric Vettel, Executive Director of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, says, “We appreciate Sens. John Warner and Jim Webb and Congressmen Bob Goodlatte and Tom Davis for their sponsorship of this bill and for their strong statements on the floors of the Senate and the House. We also appreciate the efforts of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum community for their support of this legislation. Volunteers from every region of the country, including California, Missouri, New York, and North Carolina, worked tirelessly, meeting with their representatives, sending letters to Capitol Hill, and encouraging us along the way.

“The national landscape for presidential history has been transformed. This Act establishes unprecedented opportunity for organizations like the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum to preserve presidential records and educate the public about the history of the American presidency. Just as importantly, this legislation facilitates public-private partnerships by requiring matching donations for each federal dollar. By constructing the bill this way, Congress has ensured the protection of public money while dedicating the nation to the preservation of its own history.

“We are honored that our representatives have noted the role of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum in developing this bill. We hope that this legislation will help us maintain our leadership in preserving and making accessible presidential history. To ensure our visitors’ awareness of this important legislation, we are preparing an exhibit about the bill that documents the instrumental leadership of Sens. Warner and Webb and Congressmen Goodlatte and Davis in its formulation and passage.”

The bill’s passage culminates a three-year effort by the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum for federal legislation. Goodlatte introduced the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library Authorization Act in separate Congresses in 2006 and 2007. Both years, it unanimously passed the House of Representatives.

This year, in consultation with National Archives, Warner, Webb and Goodlatte reworked the bill to establish a national program that encourages preservation of presidential history. On September 11, the three introduced the legislation. In advocating for the bill, all of them made floor statements in Congress about the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library.