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STEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Saturday, 10.15.11

Clay and U.S. Archivist Ferriero Dedicate

New National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis County

National Archives & Records Administration Facility Will Safeguard Over 100 Million Records and Employ 850 Federal Workers

ST. LOUIS – Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay(D) Missouri,joined Archivist of the United States David Ferriero in North St. Louis County today to dedicate the new National Personnel Records Centerin Spanish Lake.  The state of the art 520,000 square foot facility,located on Dunn Road, isoperated by the National Archives & Records Administration.Itemploys 850 federal workers and will safeguard over 100 million military and civilian personnel records.“I fought long and hard to locate this beautiful, state of the art facility in Spanish Lake, and to keep these 850 federal jobs in North County,” said the Congressman.“The project that we dedicate today is a huge victory for St. Louis County and our entire region.”

The center will handle an average of 5,000 record requests per day from families, researchers and historians.  The new federal facility in North County is already winning praise as an economic sparkplug for the area. “This investment in our infrastructure is already serving as a jobs and economic engine,” said Mr. Clay.“The $115 million construction budget for this building has already pumped $435 million into our local economy and it created 300 skilled construction jobs.  That’s the kind of federal infrastructure investment we should be making all across this country.”

Thefacility houses priceless military artifacts and recordsdatingfrom before the Civil War through 2001.  Itis the largest National Archivesrepository outside of Washington, DC and is expected to greet visitors from across the United States.  The National Personnel Records Centerholds more than 57 millionU.S. Armed Forces personnel files includingfamousveterans such asGeneral Dwight D. Eisenhower; General George S. Patton; President John F. Kennedy, Lt. Jackie Robinson and Private Elvis Presley.

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