Kenobius Prime said:

I don't see how Mr. Leggett's reply can make anyone here happy. His reply, while seeming encouraging one moment, is a letdown the next. There is nothing keeping LFL or Fox from pawning off a 1997 or 2004 version to the LOC, and more importantly, there is most likely nobody at the LOC that can verify just exactly what version of the film comes into their possession. I commend Mr. Leggett for his prompt reply, and it does indeed sound like he at least knows there are multiple versions, but I just don't see it happening. I would LOVE to be proved wrong. But really, who at the LOC can actually dig the thing up and verify it? Even if someone did say it is the 1980 print, could they provide proof? Or, would they just take LFL or Fox's word? Would pictures of the cans or reels be enough? Could someone examine the film itself and provide pictures?

Highly doubtful. I want to believe, but at this stage, I simply cannot.

I think this level of deceit is unrealistic. If LFL is only going to loan out the SE, they will say so. There are no prints of the 2004 version, so it would be the 1997 SE. At this point, the Fox/Lucasfilm-Congress dialogue hasn't really started, so it's too early to say. But I suspect that if the U.S. government asks for a print of the original that they will comply. It might be worth asking them in six months what the result was, and they will either say they asked for an original print and got one, asked for an original print and got one only after some negotiation/persuasal, or asked for an original print and were denied but did receive the 1997 version. That they are aware of the original version and specifically seeking that version is a very encouraging sign. In fact, it seems that unless they get the original version, the film cannot be added to the registry, as the legislation states that it must be the first version published. Extra versions are a bonus, but the original version must be satisfied first.