House Oversight and Government Operations Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) has announced a hearing to investigate White House compliance with the Presidential Records Act. The hearing has been scheduled for February 15, 2008, to consider the on-going controversy over the extent of missing e-mails from White House servers from 2003-2005.

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) recently awarded $2.8 million for 34 projects in 22 states and the District of Columbia for preserving and publishing historical records.

In response to a federal court order issued last week, on January 15, 2008, the White House responded to questions concerning back-up copies of e-mails missing from White House servers. The White House refused to acknowledge any missing e-mails, instead stating that it “has undertaken an independent effort to determine whether there may be anomalies in Exchange e-mail counts,” during the 2003-2005 period.

The National Humanities Alliance’s 2008 Conference and Humanities Advocacy Day will take place March 3-4, 2008, at The George Washington University and on Capitol Hill. This is a unique two-day event for those interested in humanities policy and advocacy.

The National Archives and Records Administration has posted a job announcement seeking to fill the post of the Executive Director of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein this week announced that the National Archives had conducted a review of an incident that occurred on Saturday, January 12, 2008, at the National Archives Headquarters Building. According to a report filed by the National Archives security staff, protesters tried to gain entrance to the Constitution Avenue side of the National Archives Building. They were asked to leave their placards and signs outside. A security guard also requested that they cover up t-shirts that announced their protest.

This week, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) announced an upcoming meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Records of Congress. The committee advises NARA on programs, policies, and plans for the Center for Legislative Archives in the Office of Records Services.

Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein recently announced the retirement of Lewis Bellardo, Deputy Archivist and Chief of Staff at the National Archives and Records Administration since 1995. Dr. Bellardo left his post on December 31, 2007. At the same time, Professor Weinstein announced that Adrienne C. Thomas would succeed Dr. Bellardo as Deputy Archivist.

In a recent story entitled New Preservation Fundraising Guide Released, we misidentified the name of the organization that inspired the project. The proper name is “Heritage Preservation,” not the “Heritage Preservation Foundation” as stated. We apologize for this error and any confusion it may have caused.

House Oversight and Government Operations Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) recently launched another salvo towards the White House in their on-going battle over the preservation of President Bush’s records. In separate December 20, 2007, letters to Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein and Counsel to the President Fred Fielding, Waxman expressed concerns about whether the National Archives and the White House are adequately prepared for the turnover of Bush Administration records when the President leaves office on January 20, 2009.