I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9987 

To establish the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National 

Museum of Italian American History and Culture, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 11, 2024 

Mr. SUOZZI (for himself, Mr. AMODEI, and Ms. BONAMICI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 

and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

A BILL 

To establish the Commission to Study the Potential Creation 

of a National Museum of Italian American History and 

Culture, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commission To Study 

5 the Potential of a National Museum of Italian American 

6 History and Culture Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Commis3 sion to Study the Potential Creation of a National Mu4 seum of Italian American History and Culture (in this Act 

5 referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

6 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be com7 posed of 8 members, of whom— 

8 (1) 2 members shall be appointed by the major9 ity leader of the Senate; 

10 (2) 2 members shall be appointed by the Speak11 er of the House of Representatives; 

12 (3) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor13 ity leader of the Senate; and 

14 (4) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor15 ity leader of the House of Representatives. 

16 (c) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members of the Commission 

17 shall be appointed to the Commission from among individ18 uals, or representatives of institutions or entities, who pos19 sess— 

20 (1) a demonstrated commitment to the re21 search, study, or promotion of Italian American his22 tory, art, political or economic status, or culture; 

23 (2) expertise or experience in— 

24 (A) museum administration; 

25 (B) fundraising for nonprofit or cultural 

26 institutions; 


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1 (C) the study and teaching of Italian 

2 American history; 

3 (D) studying the issue of the representa4 tion of Italian Americans in art, life, history, 

5 and culture at the Smithsonian Institution; or 

6 (E) public or elected service that is exten7 sive; 

8 (3) experience in the administration of, or the 

9 planning for, the establishment of, museums; or 

10 (4) experience in the planning, design, or con11 struction of museum facilities. 

12 (d) DEADLINE FOR INITIAL APPOINTMENT.—Not 

13 later than the date that is 90 days after the date of enact14 ment of this Act, the initial members of the Commission 

15 shall be appointed under subsection (b). 

16 (e) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission— 

17 (1) shall not affect the powers of the Commis18 sion; and 

19 (2) shall be filled in the same manner as the 

20 original appointment was made under subsection (b). 

21 (f) CHAIRPERSON.—The Commission shall, by major22 ity vote of all of the members, select 1 member of the 

23 Commission to serve as the Chairperson of the Commis24 sion. 


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1 (g) PROHIBITION.—No employee of the Federal Gov2 ernment may serve as a member of the Commission. 

3 SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 

4 (a) REPORTS.— 

5 (1) PLAN OF ACTION.—The Commission shall 

6 submit to the President and Congress a report con7 taining the recommendations of the Commission 

8 with respect to a plan of action regarding the feasi9 bility of establishing and maintaining a National 

10 Museum of Italian American History and Culture in 

11 Washington, DC, and the environs of such museum 

12 (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Museum’’). 

13 (2) REPORT ON ISSUES.—The Commission shall 

14 submit to the President and Congress a report that 

15 addresses the following: 

16 (A) The availability and cost of collections 

17 to be acquired and housed in the Museum. 

18 (B) The impact of the Museum on existing 

19 Italian American history-related museums. 

20 (C) The development of criteria, in con21 sultation with the Smithsonian Institution, for 

22 evaluating possible locations for the Museum in 

23 Washington, DC, and the environs of such Mu24 seum. 


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1 (D) The feasibility of the Museum becom2 ing part of the Smithsonian Institution, taking 

3 into account the potential impact of the Mu4 seum on the Smithsonian’s existing facilities 

5 maintenance backlog, collections storage needs, 

6 and identified construction or renovation costs 

7 for new or existing museums. 

8 (E) The governance and organizational 

9 structure from which the Museum should oper10 ate. 

11 (F) Best practices for engaging Italian 

12 Americans in the development and design of the 

13 Museum. 

14 (G) The cost of constructing, operating, 

15 and maintaining the Museum. 

16 (3) DEADLINE.—Not later than the date that is 

17 18 months after the date of the first meeting of the 

18 Commission, the Commission shall submit the re19 ports required under paragraphs (1) and (2). 

20 (b) FUNDRAISING PLAN.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall de22 velop a fundraising plan that shall address the abil23 ity to support the establishment, operation, and 

24 maintenance of the Museum through contributions 

25 from the public. 


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1 (2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing the fund2 raising plan under paragraph (1), the Commission 

3 shall consider issues relating to funding the oper4 ations and maintenance of the Museum in perpetuity 

5 without reliance on appropriations of Federal funds. 

6 (3) INDEPENDENT REVIEW.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 

8 obtain an independent review of the viability of 

9 the plan developed under paragraph (1). 

10 (B) CONTENTS.—The independent review 

11 under subparagraph (A) shall include an anal12 ysis as to whether the plan is able to achieve 

13 the level of resources necessary to fund the con14 struction of the Museum and the operations 

15 and maintenance of the Museum in perpetuity 

16 without reliance on appropriations of Federal 

17 funds. 

18 (4) SUBMISSION.—The Commission shall sub19 mit to the Committees on House Administration, 

20 Natural Resources, and Appropriations of the House 

21 of Representatives and the Committees on Rules and 

22 Administration, Energy and Natural Resources, and 

23 Appropriations of the Senate the plan developed 

24 under paragraph (1) and the review conducted under 

25 paragraph (3). 


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1 (c) LEGISLATION TO CARRY OUT PLAN OF AC2 TION.—Based on the recommendations contained in the 

3 report submitted under paragraphs (1) and (2) of sub4 section (a), the Commission shall submit for consideration 

5 to the Committees on House Administration, Natural Re6 sources, and Appropriations of the House of Representa7 tives and the Committees on Rules and Administration, 

8 Energy and Natural Resources, and Appropriations of the 

9 Senate recommendations for a legislative plan of action 

10 on the feasibility of establishing and constructing the Mu11 seum. 

12 (d) NATIONAL CONFERENCE.—Not later than 18 

13 months after the date on which the initial members of the 

14 Commission are appointed under section 2(b), the Com15 mission may, in carrying out the duties of the Commission 

16 under this section, convene a national conference relating 

17 to the Museum, to be comprised of individuals committed 

18 to the advancement of the life, art, history, and culture 

19 of Italian Americans. 

20 SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 

21 (a) COMPENSATION.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—A member of the Commis23 sion— 

24 (A) shall not be considered to be a Federal 

25 employee for any purpose other than for purVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 Oct 24, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9987.IH H9987

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1 poses of chapter 81 of title 5, United States 

2 Code (relating to compensation for injury) and 

3 sections 2671 through 2680 of title 28, United 

4 States Code (relating to tort claims), except 

5 that each such individual shall be— 

6 (i) required to file an annual financial 

7 disclosure under chapter 131 of title 5, 

8 United States Code; and 

9 (ii) considered to be a Federal em10 ployee for purposes of sections 201 and 

11 208 of title 18, United States Code; and 

12 (B) shall serve without pay. 

13 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—A member of the 

14 Commission shall be allowed a per diem allowance 

15 for travel expenses, at rates consistent with those 

16 authorized under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 

17 5, United States Code. 

18 (3) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES.—The 

19 Commission may solicit, accept, use, and dispose of 

20 gifts, bequests, or devises of money, services, or real 

21 or personal property for the purpose of aiding or fa22 cilitating the work of the Commission. 

23 (4) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 

24 Commission shall not be subject to chapter 10 of 

25 title 5, United States Code. 


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1 (b) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

2 on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the 

3 final versions of the reports required under section 3 are 

4 submitted. 

5 (c) FUNDING.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 

7 solely responsible for acceptance of contributions for, 

8 and payment of the expenses of, the Commission. 

9 (2) PROHIBITION.—No Federal funds may be 

10 obligated to carry out this Act. 

11 (d) DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION.— 

12 (1) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.— 

13 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may 

14 employ and compensate an executive director 

15 and any other additional personnel that are 

16 necessary to enable the Commission to perform 

17 the duties of the Commission. 

18 (B) RATES OF PAY.—Rates of pay for per19 sons employed under subparagraph (A) shall be 

20 consistent with the rates of pay allowed for em21 ployees of a temporary organization under sec22 tion 3161 of title 5, United States Code. 

23 (2) NOT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Any indi24 vidual employed under this subsection shall not be 

25 considered a Federal employee for any purpose other 


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1 than for purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, United 

2 States Code (relating to compensation for injury) 

3 and sections 2671 through 2680 of title 28, United 

4 States Code (relating to tort claims), except that 

5 each such individual shall be— 

6 (A) required to file an annual financial dis7 closure under chapter 131 of title 5, United 

8 States Code; and 

9 (B) considered to be a Federal employee 

10 for purposes of sections 201 and 208 of title 

11 18, United States Code. 

12 (3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 

13 (A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subpara14 graph (B), on request of the Commission, the 

15 head of a Federal agency may provide technical 

16 assistance to the Commission. 

17 (B) PROHIBITION.—No Federal employees 

18 may be detailed to the Commission. 

Æ 


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