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S. 1248 109th Congress Senate

SEARCH Act of 2005

Official title: A bill to establish a servitude and emancipation archival research clearinghouse in the National Archives.

Introduced: June 16, 2005 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics ArchivesArts, Culture, ReligionBlack historyCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
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This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 14, 2005
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6494)
Jun 14, 2005
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6493-6494)
Jun 14, 2005
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action June 14, 2005

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6494)

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Servitude and Emancipation Archival Research ClearingHouse Act of 2005 or the SEARCH Act of 2005 - Directs the Archivist of the United States to establish, as part of the National Archives, a national database consisting of historic records of servitude and emancipation in the United States to assist African Americans in researching their genealogy. Requires the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to maintain the database.

 Related & companion bills 2
  • HR 2891 Identical bill SEARCH Act of 2005
  • HR 5216 Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act of 2006
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 2
D
Durbin, Richard J.
Illinois · Jun 16, 2005
 D
Schumer, Charles E.
New York · Jun 14, 2005
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1248: SEARCH Act of 2005. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1248/
MLA
"S. 1248: SEARCH Act of 2005." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1248/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1248, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1248/.
Markdown link
[S. 1248: SEARCH Act of 2005](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1248/)
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