Idaho Delegation Welcomes Withdrawal of Plans to Sell Seattle Archives Facility

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, and U.S. Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson (all R-Idaho) issued the following joint statement after the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced that it would withdraw its January 24, 2020, approval of the sale of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) facility in Seattle: 

“The items at the Seattle Federal Records Center tell the great story of the state of Idaho, from the Tribes originally inhabiting this land to statehood.  The items at this facility are vital to the states, Tribes and local universities examining this history.  The original decision did not involve an acceptable degree of Tribal consultation despite having great impact on the Tribes in our state.  Any future decisions on the facility must involve appropriate, collaborative Tribal, state and local consultation.” 

The Pacific Northwest congressional delegations have long advocated for these important records to stay in Seattle.  Following the announcement of the intended sale of the facility, senators and representatives sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to OMB expressing concern and disapproval of the plans to move these records out of the region.  Members representing the region also came together to secure language in the 2020 appropriations bills that required the agencies charged with the sale of the facility and movement of the records to find ways to keep the records in the Pacific Northwest.  In March, the members sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to OMB requesting it stop the sale of the facility due to “legally flawed” decisions.

# # #