Speech #1140098832

Mr. Chairman. there are also issues that must be addressed as we move through the process. One particularly troublesome issue is that the report accompanying this bill includes language seeking to influence the Library of Congress process to change its subject headings related to immigration. The Library of Congress decided in March of this year to begin using the terms "noncitizens" and "unauthorized immigration" for cataloging purposes. They did so after being petitioned by Dartmouth College in 2014a petition they turned down initiallyand then again by the American Library Association earlier this year. In January of this year. the American Library Association adopted a resolution calling on the Library of Congress to change the heading "illegal aliens" to "undocumented immigrants." Now. these are search terms. The Library of Congress uses subject headings to help researchers be able to find topics based on what they are appropriately to be called. The Library did not adopt the term "undocumented immigrants" but chose to begin to use the two phrases "noncitizens" and "unauthorized immigration." These new subject headings are still in the process of being considered. as the public will have 60 days to comment on them. The fact that this project is ongoing makes the inclusion of report language even more problematic. How can the Library of Congress be expected to go through a fair and open comment period with this language included in the report accompanying the appropriations bill? My side of the aisle could have certainly pushed to have the Library of Congress reconsider its decision after the Dartmouth petition was turned down in 2014 because many Democrats and Republicans believe that the term "illegal alien" labels a group of people based on a misconception that an immigrants presence in our Nation is a criminal violation. but we allowed the process to work because the Library of Congress is in the business of language and nomenclature and should be free to make these decisions without political interference. Congress should not be setting ourselves up as the word police. Lets be clear: this puts the Library of Congress front and center on one of our Nations most contentious and emotional political issues.