PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 390: Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 390: Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act

110th Congress · introduced 2007-01-10 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1042.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2007-01-10 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Lantos, Tom [D-CA-12] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 45 (2007): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, HR390 (2007-01-22), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1042. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act

Plain summary

Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act - Requires the Archivist of the United States to: (1) establish, as part of the National Archives, and maintain an electronically searchable database of historic records of servitude, emancipation, and post-Civil War reconstruction (including Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands Records, the Southern Claims Commission Records, Records of the Freedmen's Bank, Slave Impressments Records, Slave Payroll Records, and the Slave Manifest) contained within federal agencies for genealogical and historical research; and (2) preserve relevant records. Requires the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to provide grants to states, colleges and universities, and genealogical associations to preserve records and establish databases of local records of such information. Authorizes appropriations.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lantos, Tom [D-CA-12] · 30 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 390, Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act (2007-11-27); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 390, Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act (2007-11-27)

Cosponsors on this site

Steve Cohen (D-TN), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (1)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr390 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110