IIB 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7764 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and 

Administration 

AN ACT 

To establish a commission to study the potential transfer 

of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish 

History to the Smithsonian Institution, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commission to Study 

3 the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman National Museum 

4 of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institu5 tion Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Commis8 sion to Study the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman Na9 tional Museum of American Jewish History to the Smith10 sonian Institution (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 

11 ‘‘Commission’’). 

12 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be com13 posed of 8 members, of whom— 

14 (1) 2 voting members shall be appointed by the 

15 majority leader of the Senate; 

16 (2) 2 voting members shall be appointed by the 

17 Speaker of the House of Representatives; 

18 (3) 2 voting members shall be appointed by the 

19 minority leader of the Senate; and 

20 (4) 2 voting members shall be appointed by the 

21 minority leader of the House of Representatives. 

22 (c) QUALIFICATION.—Members of the Commission 

23 shall be appointed to the Commission from among individ24 uals, or representatives of institutions or entities, who pos25 sess— 


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1 (1)(A) a demonstrated commitment to the re2 search, study, or promotion of Jewish American his3 tory, art, political or economic status, or culture; 

4 and 

5 (B)(i) expertise in museum administration; 

6 (ii) expertise in fund-raising for nonprofit or 

7 cultural institutions; 

8 (iii) experience in the study and teaching of 

9 Jewish American history; 

10 (iv) experience in the study and teaching of 

11 combating and countering antisemitism; 

12 (v) experience in studying the issue of the rep13 resentation of Jewish Americans in art, life, history, 

14 and culture at the Smithsonian Institution; or 

15 (vi) extensive experience in public or elected 

16 service; 

17 (2) experience in the administration of, or the 

18 strategic planning for, museums; or 

19 (3) experience in the planning or design of mu20 seum facilities. 

21 (d) DEADLINE FOR INITIAL APPOINTMENT.—The 

22 initial members of the Commission shall be appointed not 

23 later than the date that is 90 days after the date of enact24 ment of this Act. 

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


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1 (1) shall not affect the powers of the Commis2 sion; and 

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

4 original appointment was made. 

5 (f) CHAIRPERSON.—The Commission shall, by major6 ity vote of all of the voting members, select 1 member of 

7 the Commission to serve as the Chairperson of the Com8 mission. 

9 (g) PROHIBITION.—No employee of the Federal Gov10 ernment may serve as a member of the Commission. 

11 SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 

12 (a) REPORTS AND OTHER DELIVERABLES.—Not 

13 later than 2 years after the date of the first meeting of 

14 the Commission, the Commission shall submit to the 

15 President and to Congress the report, plan, and rec16 ommendations described in paragraphs (1) through (3). 

17 (1) REPORT ON ISSUES.—A report that ad18 dresses the following issues relating to the Weitzman 

19 National Museum of American Jewish History in 

20 Philadelphia, PA, and its environs (hereafter in this 

21 Act referred to as the ‘‘Museum’’): 

22 (A) The collections held by the Museum at 

23 the time of the report, the extent to which such 

24 collections are already represented in the 

25 Smithsonian Institution and Federal memorials 


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1 at the time of the report, and the availability 

2 and cost of future collections to be acquired and 

3 housed in the Museum. 

4 (B) The impact of the Museum on edu5 cational and governmental efforts to study and 

6 counter antisemitism. 

7 (C) The financial assets and liabilities held 

8 by the Museum, and the cost of operating and 

9 maintaining the Museum. 

10 (D) The governance and organizational 

11 structure from which the Museum should oper12 ate if transferred to the Smithsonian Institu13 tion. 

14 (E) The financial and legal considerations 

15 associated with the potential transfer of the 

16 Museum to the Smithsonian Institution, includ17 ing— 

18 (i) any donor or legal restrictions on 

19 the Museum’s collections, endowments, and 

20 real estate; 

21 (ii) costs associated with actions that 

22 will be necessary to resolve the status of 

23 employees of the Museum, if the Museum 

24 is transferred to the Smithsonian Institu25 tion; and 


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1 (iii) all additional costs for the Smith2 sonian Institution that would be associated 

3 with operating and maintaining a new mu4 seum outside of the Washington, D.C. met5 ropolitan area. 

6 (F) The feasibility of the Museum becom7 ing part of the Smithsonian Institution, taking 

8 into account the Museum’s potential impact on 

9 the Smithsonian’s existing facilities mainte10 nance backlog, collections storage needs, and 

11 identified construction or renovation costs for 

12 new or existing museums. 

13 (2) FUND-RAISING PLAN.—A fund-raising plan 

14 that addresses the following topics: 

15 (A) The ability to support the transfer, op16 eration, and maintenance of the Museum 

17 through contributions from the public, including 

18 potential charges for admission. 

19 (B) Any potential issues with funding the 

20 operations and maintenance of the Museum in 

21 perpetuity without reliance on appropriations of 

22 Federal funds. 

23 (3) LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.—A re24 port containing recommendations regarding a legis25 lative plan for transferring the Museum to the 


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1 Smithsonian Institution, which shall include each of 

2 the following: 

3 (A) Proposals regarding the time frame, 

4 one-time appropriations level, and continuing 

5 appropriations levels that might be included in 

6 such legislation. 

7 (B) Recommendations for the future name 

8 of the Museum if it is transferred to the Smith9 sonian Institution. 

10 (b) NATIONAL CONFERENCE.—Not later than 2 

11 years after the date on which the initial members of the 

12 Commission are appointed under section 2, the Commis13 sion may, in carrying out the duties of the Commission 

14 under this section, convene a national conference relating 

15 to the Museum, to be comprised of individuals committed 

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

17 of Jewish Americans. 

18 SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 

19 (a) COMPENSATION.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—A member of the Commis21 sion— 

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

23 employee for any purpose by reason of service 

24 on the Commission; and 

25 (B) shall serve without pay. 


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

2 Commission shall be allowed a per diem allowance 

3 for travel expenses, at rates consistent with those 

4 authorized under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 

5 5, United States Code. 

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

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

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

9 or personal property for the purpose of aiding or fa10 cilitating the work of the Commission. Such gifts, 

11 bequests, or devises may be from the Museum. 

12 (b) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

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

14 final versions of the report, plan, and recommendations 

15 required under section 3 are submitted. 

16 (c) FUNDING.—The Commission shall be solely re17 sponsible for acceptance of contributions for, and payment 

18 of the expenses of, the Commission. 

19 (d) DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION.— 

20 (1) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.— 

21 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may 

22 employ and compensate an executive director 

23 and any other additional personnel that are 

24 necessary to enable the Commission to perform 

25 the duties of the Commission. 


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1 (B) RATES OF PAY.—Rates of pay for per2 sons employed under subparagraph (A) shall be 

3 consistent with the rates of pay allowed for em4 ployees of a temporary organization under sec5 tion 3161 of title 5, United States Code. 

6 (2) NOT FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT.—Any indi7 vidual employed under this subsection shall not be 

8 considered a Federal employee for the purpose of 

9 any law governing Federal employment. 

10 (3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 

11 (A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subpara12 graph (B), on request of the Commission, the 

13 head of a Federal agency shall provide technical 

14 assistance to the Commission. 

15 (B) PROHIBITION.—No Federal employees 

16 may be detailed to the Commission. 

17 (4) VOLUNTEER SERVICES.—Notwithstanding 

18 section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the 

19 Commission may accept and use voluntary and un20 compensated services as the Commission determines 

21 necessary. 

22 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon re23 quest of the Commission, the Administrator of the General 

24 Services Administration shall provide to the Commission, 

25 on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support servVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:23 Sep 25, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7764.RFS H7764

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1 ices necessary for the Commission to carry out its respon2 sibilities under this Act. The involvement of the General 

3 Services Administration shall be limited to providing ad4 ministrative support to the Commission, and such involve5 ment shall terminate upon termination of the Commission. 

6 (f) MEETING LOCATION.—The Commission may 

7 meet virtually or in-person. 

8 (g) APPOINTMENT DELAYS.—The Commission may 

9 begin to meet and carry out activities under this Act be10 fore all members of the Commission have been appointed 

11 if— 

12 (1) 90 days have passed since the date of the 

13 enactment of this Act; and 

14 (2) a majority of the members of the Commis15 sion have been appointed. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 23, 

2024. 

Attest: KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 

Clerk. 


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