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87–702 2014

MARKUP OF H.R. 863, COMMISSION 

TO STUDY THE POTENTIAL 

CREATION OF A NATIONAL 

WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT 

OF 2013 

MEETING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE 

ADMINISTRATION 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC, APRIL 2, 2014 

Printed for the use of the Committee on House Administration 

( 

Available on the Internet: 

http://www.fdsys.gov 


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COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION 

CANDICE S. MILLER, Michigan, Chairman 

GREGG HARPER, Mississippi 

PHIL GINGREY, M.D., Georgia 

AARON SCHOCK, Illinois 

TODD ROKITA, Indiana 

RICHARD NUGENT, Florida 

ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania 

Ranking Minority Member 

ZOE LOFGREN, California 

JUAN VARGAS, California 

PROFESSIONAL STAFF

SEAN MORAN, Staff Director 

KYLE ANDERSON, Minority Staff Director 


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MARKUP OF H.R. 863, COMMISSION TO STUDY 

THE POTENTIAL CREATION OF A NATIONAL 

WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT OF 2013 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, 

Washington, DC. 

The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:31 a.m., in room 

1310, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Candice S. Miller 

(chairman of the committee) presiding. 

Present: Representatives Miller, Harper, Gingrey, Schock, 

Nugent, Brady, Lofgren, and Vargas. 

Staff Present: Sean Moran, Staff Director; Peter Schalestock, 

Deputy General Counsel; Yael Barash, Legislative Clerk; Bob Sensenbrenner, Senior Counsel; Mary Sue Englund, Director of Administration; Erin Sayago, Communications Director; John Clocker, 

Deputy Staff Director; Kyle Anderson, Minority Staff Director; 

Matt Pinkus, Minority Senior Policy Advisor; Matt DeFreitas, Minority Professional Staff; Khalil Abboud, Minority Deputy Counsel; 

Thomas Hicks, Minority Senior Counsel; Mike Harrison, Minority 

Chief Counsel; Greg Abbott, Minority Professional Staff; and Eddie 

Flaherty, Minority Chief Clerk. 

The CHAIRMAN. I would like to call to order the Committee on 

House Administration for today’s committee hearing. A quorum is 

present, so we can proceed. And the meeting record will remain 

open for 5 legislative days so that members might submit any other 

materials that they might wish to be included in the record. 

And first of all, we are going to have a markup, a quick markup 

here before we go into our hearing scheduled today on the National 

Zoo. Our markup will consider one item, which is H.R. 863, which 

is a bill to establish a commission to study the potential creation 

of a National Women’s History Museum. 

The Committee on Natural Resources actually has primary jurisdiction over this bill, over this issue. House Administration has jurisdiction over the single issue of the bill of having a commission 

consider whether the museum should be part of the Smithsonian 

Institution. We will be issuing a report on that issue to move the 

bill forward in the process. But again on other matters, such as the 

museum’s location, the makeup of the commission, et cetera, they 

will be addressed by the Committee on Natural Resources. 

At the end of last year, this committee held a hearing on the 

topic of the bill that is before us today, and we received testimony 

from our colleagues and the bill’s sponsor in the House, RepresentVerDate Mar 15 2010 06:00 May 09, 2014 Jkt 087702 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\A702.XXX A702

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ative Marsha Blackburn and Representative Carolyn Maloney. 

Their testimony urged Congress to establish a National Women’s 

Museum paid for and maintained entirely with private funds. This 

bipartisan measure was cosponsored by more than 85 Members. It 

is an appropriate step to study the possibility of a future Women’s 

History Museum. 

The accomplishments of women are woven throughout the tapestry of our great Nation’s history, within small towns or large cities, within each State, and across the entire Nation. Women have 

contributed in every war effort, been inventors, been architects, 

business innovators, and leaders in shaping America’s politics as 

well. Creating a commission to study this endeavor would be an 

important step toward memorializing America’s memory of the 

deep and enduring contributions women have made. 

Since the 105th Congress various bills have been introduced to 

advance the creation of a women’s museum. One bill even passed 

the House and two in the Senate. And today I hope our committee’s 

action will enable this measure to move forward during this Congress. 

Establishing a commission is a step in the right direction to fully 

explore how such a museum would integrate with our existing national institutions, especially the Smithsonian, as well as regional 

and local cultural institutions, what it will cost, how we can fund 

it, and where would we put it? These issues, and I am sure many 

more, are some areas that a commission will discuss, investigate, 

and make recommendations for consideration. 

And I am sure that we can all agree that the intellectual, cultural, economic, and countless other contributions by half of our society deserve to have the right custodians for today and tomorrow’s 

generation of women to learn about the accomplishments of yesterday’s generations. And with this goal in mind, we are considering 

this bill to establish a commission to study the potential creation 

of a National Women’s History Museum. 

Again, this bill is also under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Natural Resources. And it is also important to note that 

there has been talk that this bill hopefully will receive floor consideration this year. So I am pleased to have the committee’s members’ support to consider moving this bill forward and to provide an 

opportunity to determine how our Nation can best represent the 

significant milestones and advancements of our foremothers. 

I would now recognize my colleague, my ranking member on the 

committee, Mr. Brady, for the purpose of his opening statement. 

Mr. BRADY. Thank you, Madam Chairman. 

Madam Chairman, I join with you in support of bipartisan legislation providing for a commission to study the creation of the National Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C. Women comprise more than half of the United States population. They have 

achieved historic accomplishments in all fields of endeavor and deserve this opportunity for recognition in the Nation’s Capital. 

I anticipate this action on the legislation would be followed later 

this spring by a hearing on the final report of the American Latino 

Museum Commission, which has been before us since 2011, and 

which you expressed an interest in at the end of this year. 


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I would urge the members prior to final action on this bill by the 

House to work to expand the size of the Women’s History Museum 

Commission to a more workable number beyond the current eight 

and to include Presidential appointees, as was the case with the African-American Museum and the American Latino Museum Commissions. This would enhance the commission’s chances of ultimate 

success. 

I look forward to the opportunity to evaluate the commission’s 

work during the 114th Congress, and I urge an aye vote for this 

legislation. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank the gentleman very much. 

Are there other members of the committee that would like to 

have an opening statement? The gentleman from Georgia, Dr. 

Gingrey. 

Mr. GINGREY. Madam Chairman, I want to thank you for calling 

this markup on H.R. 863, the Commission to Study the Potential 

Creation of a National Women’s History Museum Act. If enacted, 

this legislation would establish a commission which would then be 

required to submit a report to the President and to Congress detailing their recommendations for the establishment of a National 

Women’s History Museum located here in Washington, D.C. 

The bill will also direct the commission to report on whether the 

Women’s History Museum should be part of the Smithsonian Institution, which is why this committee has the opportunity to weigh 

in on the legislation before us today. 

While some museums devoted to women’s history already exist, 

most cover only specific aspects of women’s contributions, such as 

the National Museum of Women in the Arts or the Women of the 

West Museum. Rather than trying to pick and choose places to add 

women’s history in existing exhibits, a National Women’s History 

Museum will provide a chance to give a more comprehensive account of women’s numerous contributions to our Nation’s history. 

Women make up more than half of this country’s population, yet 

too often their achievements and their contributions throughout 

history have been overshadowed. It is past time that we focus on 

the important influence women have had in their own right, and 

this bill before us today creates a commission that is a critical first 

step in so doing. Today’s markup gives us as a committee an important chance to show our commitment to ensuring that women’s history is honored and given the attention that it deserves. 

Madam Chairman, I thank you, and I yield back. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank the gentleman. 

Are there any other members that wish to make an opening 

statement? 

The gentlelady from California. 

Ms. LOFGREN. Just briefly, I wanted to compliment the supporters actually in the private sector who helped bring us to this 

day. It was just a short period of time ago that you and I sat here 

and we had the authors here, but we also had the people who 

worked so hard out in the community to get support and to give 

us hope that we will be able to actually see this as a museum. 

So I think this is a very important day. Obviously, it is just a 

first step, but it is an important first step. And I know that they 

are still committed to continuing their efforts. We are going to 


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count on them. I see them here in the audience, and I wanted to 

note that. 

And thank you, Madam Chair. I agree with the ranking member. 

I hope that this can be a model for us and that we will be able to 

take similar swift action on the Latino Museum, which has actually 

been under consideration for a considerable period of time. So if we 

had a hearing on that, maybe we would have the same outcome on 

that. 

And I, with those comments, would yield back on this great day. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. 

As I did mention, I am interested in pursuing a hearing on the 

Latino Museum and would certainly go through these one at a time 

here. But in regards to your comments, Ms. Lofgren, as well, I certainly want to add, and I see some of the ladies out in the audience 

today that have been so passionate and so dedicated and committed to pushing this forward. So we want to thank you for that 

and I know you are going to all continue with that as we take this, 

as has been mentioned, very important first step. 

I now call up and lay before the committee, H.R. 863. 

[The Act, H.R. 863, follows:] 


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AUTH,""CAn09 "'''" COVi'R~"'If'N.T 

iNFORMAl 'ON 

CPO 

113TH CONGRESS 

lRT SflSSIOK H.R.S63 

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

Women's History :\!useulll, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 27, 201:3 

Mrs. CAROUt"N B. i\L\LONEY of New York (for herself, Mrs. BI.AC'I{m:Rx, Ms. 

NORTON, Mr. RA .. "GEJ" Ms. MOORE, :\11'. MORAN, Mrs. DAVHl of California, .Mr. HONDA, Mr. GlU.JALVA, Ms. SPEIER, Ms. SCIIAKOWSI<Y, Mr. 

CICILLINE, Ms. MATsm, lVlr. ELLISOX, Ms. LORETTA SAXCIIEZ of California, Mr. PETERS of' Michigan, :\lrs. CAPPS, JIs. DELAURO, Mr. 

JIcGonmx, and Ms. BRo\\"N of Florida) illtroduce(j the followiug bill; 

whieh was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to he h'Uhsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall \\~thill the .iUl~sdiction of the committee eonccl11ed 

A BILL 

To establish the Commission to Study the Potential Creation 

of a National ·Women's History Museum, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 fives of the United States ofilmel'ica in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the "Commission to Study 

5 the Potential Creation of a National Women's History 

6 Museum Act of 2013". 
6 


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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) CmIl\IISSIO="J.-'l'he term "Commission" 

4 means the Commission to Study the Potential Cre5 atioll of a National 'Women's History Museum estab6 lished by section 3(a). 

7 (2) MUSEUM.-'rhe term "Museum" means the 

8 National 'Women's History .Museum. 

9 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

10 (a) IK GEKERAL.-'l'here is established the Commis11 sion to Study the Potential Creation of a National Wom12 en's History Museum. 

13 (b) lVIEJIBERSIIIP.-The Commission shall be com14 posed of 8 members, of whom15 (1) 2 members shall be appointed by the major16 ity leader of the Senate; 

17 (2) 2 members shall be appointed by the Speak18 er of the House of Representatives; 

19 (3) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor20 ity leader of the Senate; and 

21 (4) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor22 ity leader of the House of Representatives. 

23 (c) QUALIFICATIOKs.-Members of the Commission 

24 shall be appointed to the Commission from among individ25 uals, or representatives of institutions or entities, who pos26 sess-

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1 (l)(A) a demonstrated commitment to the re2 search, study, or promotion of women's history, art, 

3 political or economic status, or culture; and 

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

5 (ii) expertise in fundraising for nonprofit or cul6 tural institutions; 

7 (iii) experience 1Il the study and teaching of 

8 women's history; 

9 (iv) e:x."Perience in studying the issue of the rep10 resentation of women in art, life, history, and cul11 ture at the Smithsonian Institution; or 

12 (v) e:x.i:ensive e:x."Perienee in public or elected 

13 service; 

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

15 planning for, the establishment of, museums; or 

16 (3) e:x."Perience in the planning, desigl1, or con17 struction of museum facilities. 

18 (d) PROHIBITIOK.-No employee of the :F'ederal Gov19 ernment may serve as a member of the Commission. 

20 (e) DEADI~INE FOR I1'\ITIAI~ APPOIKTl\IEKT.-The 

21 initial members of the Commission shall be appointed not 

22 later than the date that is 90 days after the date of enact23 ment of this Act. 

24 (f) VACAKCIES.-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 m the same manner as the 

4 original appointment was made. 

5 (g) CHAIRPEHso~.-The Commission shall, by ma6 jority vote of all of the members, select 1 member of the 

7 Commission to serve as the Chairperson of the Commis8 SlOl1. 

9 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 

10 (a) REPOHTS.-

11 (1) PljA~ OF ACTIOK-The Commission shall 

12 submit to the President and Congress a report con13 taining the recommendations of the Commission 

14 with respeet to a plan of action for the establishment 

15 and maintenance of a National \Vomen's History 

16 Museum in Washington, DC. 

17 (2) REPOHT 0]'\ ISSUEs.-The Commission shall 

18 submit to the President and Congress a report that 

19 addresses the follovving issues: 

20 (A) The availability and cost of collections 

21 to be acquired and housed in the Museum. 

22 (B) The impact of the Museum on regional 

23 ,yomen history-related museums. 

24 (C) Potential locations for the Museum in 

25 Washington, DC, and its environs (including 

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1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

5 

the location located on public land bounded by 

Independence Avenue SW., 14th Street S\V., 

15th Street SW., and Jefferson Drive SW., in 

Washington, DC, that is established subject to 

chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code 

(commonly known as the "Commemorative 

Works Act"». 

8 (D) Whether the :l\Iuseum should be part 

9 of the Smithsonian Institution. 

10 (B) The governance and organizational 

11 structure from which the Museum should oper12 ate. 

13 (F) Best practices for engaging women in 

14 the development and design of the Museum. 

15 (G) The cost of constructing, operating, 

16 and maintaining the Museum. 

17 (3) DEADI,INE.-The reports required under 

18 paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be submitted not later 

19 than the date that is 18 months after the date of 

20 the first meeting of the Commission. 

21 (b) FUNDRAISIi'\G PLAK.-

22 (1) IN GENERAL.-'l'he Commission shall de23 velop a fundraising plan to support the establish24 ment and maintenance of the Museum through con25 tributions from the public . 

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1 (2) CO~SIDERATIO~S.-In developing the fulld2 raising plan under paragraph (1), the Commission 

3 shall consider4 (A) the role of the National Women's HisS tory Museum (a nonprofit, educational organi6 zation described in section 501(c)(3) of the In7 ternal Revenue Code of 1986 that ,vas incor8 porated in 1996 in Washington, DC, and dedi9 cated for the purpose of establishing a women's 

10 history museum) in raising funds for the eon11 struction of the Museum; and 

12 (B) issues relating to funding the oper13 ations and maintenance of the Museum in per14 petuity. 

15 (c) LEGISLATIOK To CARRY OrT PLAN OF Ac16 TIO~.-Based on the recommendations contained in the 

17 report submitted under paragraphs (1) and (2) of sub18 section (a), the Commission shall submit for consideration 

19 to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, 

20 House Administration, Natural Resources, and Appropria21 tiol1s of the House of Representatives and the Committees 

22 on Rules and Administration, Energy and Natural Re23 sources, and Appropriations of the Senate recommenda24 tions for a legislative plan of action to establish and COll25 struct the Museum . 

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(d) NATIO::-JAL COKFERENCE.-Not later than 18 

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

3 Commission are appointed under section 3, the Commis4 sion may, in carrying out the duties of the Commission 

5 under this section, convene a national conference relating 

6 to the Museum, to be comprised of individuals committed 

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

8 of ,v omen. 

9 SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION. 

10 (a) DIRECTOR AND STAFI<'.-

11 (1) IN GENERAlj.-The Commission may em12 ploy and compensate an executive director and any 

13 other additional personnel that are necessary to en14 able the Commission to perform the duties of the 

15 Commission. 

16 (2) RATES OF PAY.-Rates of pay for persons 

17 employed under paragTaph (1) shall be consistent 

18 with the rates of pay allowed for employees of a tem19 porary organization under section 3161 of title 5, 

20 United States Code. 

21 (b) NOT FEDEHAI, El\IPLUY1\IEKT.-Any individual 

22 employed under this Act shall not be considered a Federal 

23 employee for the purpose of any law governing Federal 

24 employment. 

25 (c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.-

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(1) IN GENERAL.-Sul{ject to paragraph (2), on 

2 request of the Commission, the head of a Federal 

3 agency may provide technical assistance to the Com4 mission. 

5 (2) PROHIBITIOK.-No :F'ederal employees may 

6 be detailed to the Commission. 

7 SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 

8 (a) CmIPENSATIOK.-

9 (1) IN GENERAL.-A member of the Commis10 sion11 (A) shall not be considered to be a Federal 

12 employee for any purpose by reason of service 

13 on the Commission; and 

14 

15 

(B) shall serve \vithout pay. 

(2) TRA\'EL EXPENSES.-A member of the 

16 Commission shall be allowed a per diem allowance 

17 for travel expenses, at rates consistent with those 

18 authorized under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 

19 5, United States Code. 

20 (b) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, DEVISES.-'l'he Commission 

21 may solicit, accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or 

22 devises of money, services, or real or personal property for 

23 the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the Com24 mission . 

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1 (c) PEDImAL ADYISORY Cm[MITTEE ACT.-The 

2 Commission shall not be subject to the Pederal Advisory 

3 Committee Aet (5 U.S.C. App.). 

4 SEC. 7. TERMINATION. 

S The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 

6 30 days after the date on which the final versions of the 

7 reports required under section 4(a) are submitted. 

8 SEC. 8. FUNDING. 

9 (a) I~ GEKERAL.-The Commission shall be solely 

10 responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and pay11 ment of the expenses of, the Commission. 

12 (b) PROIIIBITTON.-No Pederal funds may be obli13 gated to carry out this Act. 

o 

oHR 863 m 
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The CHAIRMAN. And without objection, the first reading of the 

bill is dispensed with, and the bill is considered read and open for 

amendment at any point. Is there any debate? Are there any members that want to offer an amendment on the bill? If not, I would 

move that the committee favorably report H.R. 863. The question 

is on the motion. 

All those in favor, signify by saying aye. 

Opposed, say nay. 

Motion carried. 

In the opinion of the chair, as I say, the ayes have it. So without 

objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. Does any 

member wish to file supplemental minority or additional views for 

inclusion in the committee report to the House. 

Mr. BRADY. Madam Chair? 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Brady. 

Mr. BRADY. I would like to announce that the Democratic members will request 2 additional calendar days provided by Clause 2, 

Rule 11 of the Rules of the House in order to file these. 

The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to Clause 2 of Rule 11, the member is 

entitled to 2 additional calendar days to file such views in writing 

and signed by that member with the clerk of the committee. 

I would now ask unanimous consent that the staff be authorized 

to make technical and conforming changes to the measure the committee just considered. Without objection, so ordered. 

That concludes today’s markup. Congratulations, ladies, and we 

look forward to working with you very much. 

This portion of our meeting, the markup, is adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 10:41 a.m., the committee was adjourned.] 


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MARKUP OF H.R. 863, COMMISSION TO STUDY THE POTENTIAL CREATION OF A NATIONAL 

WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT OF 2013 


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