http://hatch.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=178829 Press Release of Senator Hatch SENATE PASSES HATCH BILL TO COMMEMORATE OCTOBER 2001 AS FAMILY HISTORY MONTH Contact: Christopher Rosché - 202.224.9851 Wednesday, September 26, 2001 WASHINGTON - By unanimous consent, the Senate today approved legislation introduced by Sen. Orrin G. Hatch to designate October as "Family History Month." "Millions of Americans are researching the history of their families," said the Utah Republican. "Experts say that in the United States, genealogy is now the second most popular hobby next to gardening. It is believed that more that 80 million Americans are currently actively searching for more information about their ancestors. "It is only natural that we want to find out more about our ancestors," Hatch continued. "What better way to bring families closer together than by discovering more about the story of their own family? Like it or not, who we are today is in large part, a product of our ancestors. Hatch's bill (S.R. 160), which was co-sponsored by Robert Bennett (R-Utah), commemorates October as Family History Month and encourages President Bush to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe the month of October with appropriate ceremonies and activities. "With the advent of the Internet, there has been an explosion of interest in family history," Hatch continued. "Last month alone, more than 14 million Americans used the Internet to research their family history. Genealogy Internet sites are some of the most popular sites on the World Wide Web. My church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has family history information on nearly 500 million individuals on its family history web site (www.familysearch.com)." "Essentially, we are all immigrants to this country. Our ancestors came from different parts of the globe," Hatch said. "By searching for our roots, we come closer together as a human family. S.R. 160 had 84 co-sponsors and was approved by unanimous consent. "Researching ancestry is a very important component of identity. It can lead to long-sought-after family reunions or allow for life saving medical treatments that only genetic links will allow," Hatch said. "For all of these reasons, I encourage people across this nation to find out more about where they came from." Helpful Family History Sites on the Internet Family Search.Com www.familysearch.org/ Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this site not only contains a wealth of information about genealogy, it also allows you to conduct free searches for your ancestors: Cyndi List.Com www.cyndislist.com/ On one of the most popular Internet sites on genealogy, Cyndi List is a free, categorized & cross-referenced index to genealogical resources on the World Wide Web. Essentially, Cyndi List is a set of links organized by categories that point you to the best genealogical research sites: National Archives www.nara.gov/research/ A treasure trove site filled with information on federal records databases including U.S. Census information. The site includes tips for those just starting their research. Other helpful sites: Recent Article on Using the Internet for Family History Research http://www.earthlink.net/blink/ Ancestry.Com www.ancestry.com/ Geneaology.Com www.genealogy.com Kindred Konnections.Com www.kindredkonnections.com/ Family History.Com www.familyhistory.com/ Ancestor Search http://www.searchforancestors.com/