IAGUTHRI-L Archives

From: "Bill Timmons" <>
Subject: Fw: [OKROOTS] Congressman Trying to Restrict Birth Records...please read
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2004 17:55:42 -0500

This may be something we need to contact our legislators about. bft
The original is in Ancestry weekly digest for this week. bft



----- Original Message -----
From: "Lois Franceschi" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 9:38 PM
Subject: [OKROOTS] Congressman Trying to Restrict Birth Records...please
read


> 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
>
> Thanks,
> Sharon Pike
>
>
> 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."
>
>
>
> ==== OKROOTS Mailing List ====
> NOTICE: Posting of virus warnings, test messages, chain letters,
political announcements, current events, items for sale, personal messages,
flames, etc. (in other words - spam) is NOT ALLOWED and will be grounds for
removal. Consideration for exceptions, contact Kathleen Burnett

> Oklahoma Cemeteries Volunteer Website
http://www.rootsweb.com/~okcemete/okcem.htm
> To visit the "Oklahoma's Family Group Sheet Webpage" go to
> http://www.rootsweb.com/~okfamgrp/fgs.htm
>
>

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• Fw: [OKROOTS] Congressman Trying to Restrict Birth Records...please read by "Bill Timmons" <>