II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1498 

To establish in the Smithsonian Institution a comprehensive American 

women’s history museum, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 29, 2017 

Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. CORTEZ

MASTO, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Ms. HASSAN, Ms. HEITKAMP, Mrs. MURRAY, 

Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. WARREN, Mr. BOOKER, and Ms. CANTWELL) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration 

A BILL 

To establish in the Smithsonian Institution a comprehensive 

American women’s history museum, 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 ‘‘Smithsonian American 

5 Women’s History Museum Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Since its founding, the United States has 

9 greatly benefitted from the contributions of women. 


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1 (2) Historical accounts, monuments, memorials, 

2 and museums disproportionately represent men’s 

3 achievements and contributions and often neglect 

4 those of women. For example— 

5 (A) a study of 18 American history text6 books concluded that 10 percent of the material 

7 documented contributions of women; 

8 (B) 9 statues out of 91 in the United 

9 States Capitol’s National Statuary Hall Collec10 tion depict women; and 

11 (C) only 1 of the 44 monuments operated 

12 by the National Park Service specifically honors 

13 the achievements of women after the 2016 des14 ignation of the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality 

15 National Monument. 

16 (3) There exists no national museum in the 

17 United States that is devoted to the documentation 

18 of women’s contributions throughout the Nation’s 

19 history. 

20 (4) On December 19, 2014, Congress created a 

21 Congressional Commission to study the potential for 

22 an American museum of women’s history. The bi23 partisan Commission unanimously concluded that 

24 the United States needs and deserves a physical na25 tional museum dedicated to showcasing the historical 


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1 experiences and impact of women in the United 

2 States. 

3 (5) Establishing a comprehensive women’s his4 tory museum representing a diverse range of view5 points, experience, and backgrounds is necessary to 

6 more accurately depict the history of the United 

7 States and would add value to the Smithsonian In8 stitution. 

9 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF MUSEUM. 

10 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 

11 the Smithsonian Institution a comprehensive American 

12 women’s history museum, to be named by the Board of 

13 Regents in consultation with the council established under 

14 section 4. 

15 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the museum estab16 lished under this section shall be to provide for— 

17 (1) the collection, study, and establishment of 

18 programs relating to women’s contributions to var19 ious fields and throughout different periods of his20 tory that have influenced the direction of the United 

21 States; 

22 (2) collaboration with other Smithsonian Insti23 tution museums and facilities, outside museums, and 

24 educational institutions; and 


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1 (3) the creation of exhibitions and programs 

2 that recognize diverse perspectives on women’s his3 tory and contributions. 

4 SEC. 4. COUNCIL. 

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 

6 the Smithsonian Institution a council to carry out the du7 ties set forth under subsection (b) and other provisions 

8 of this Act (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘council’’). 

9 (b) DUTIES.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The council shall— 

11 (A) make recommendations to the Board 

12 of Regents concerning the planning, design, and 

13 construction of the museum established under 

14 section 3; 

15 (B) advise and assist the Board of Regents 

16 on all matters relating to the administration, 

17 operation, maintenance, and preservation of the 

18 museum; 

19 (C) recommend annual operating budgets 

20 for the museum to the Board of Regents; 

21 (D) report annually to the Board of Re22 gents on the acquisition, disposition, and dis23 play of objects relating to women’s art, history, 

24 and culture; and 


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1 (E) adopt bylaws for the operation of the 

2 council. 

3 (2) PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES.—The coun4 cil, subject to the general policies of the Board of 

5 Regents, shall have sole authority to— 

6 (A) purchase, accept, borrow, and other7 wise acquire artifacts for addition to the collec8 tions of the museum; 

9 (B) loan, exchange, sell, and otherwise dis10 pose of any part of the collections of the mu11 seum, but only if the funds generated by that 

12 disposition are used for additions to the collec13 tions of the museum; or 

14 (C) specify criteria with respect to the use 

15 of the collections and resources of the museum, 

16 including policies on programming, education, 

17 exhibitions, and research with respect to— 

18 (i) the life, art, history, and culture of 

19 women; 

20 (ii) the role of women in the history of 

21 the United States; and 

22 (iii) the contributions of women to so23 ciety. 


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1 (3) OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.—The council, 

2 subject to the general policies of the Board of Re3 gents, shall have authority to— 

4 (A) provide for preservation, restoration, 

5 and maintenance of the collections of the mu6 seum; and 

7 (B) solicit, accept, use, and dispose of 

8 gifts, bequests, and devises of personal property 

9 for the purpose of aiding and facilitating the 

10 work of the museum. 

11 (c) COMPOSITION AND APPOINTMENT.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The council shall be com13 posed of 25 voting members, as provided under 

14 paragraph (2). 

15 (2) VOTING MEMBERS.—The council shall in16 clude the following voting members: 

17 (A) The Secretary of the Smithsonian In18 stitution. 

19 (B) One member of the Board of Regents, 

20 appointed by the Board of Regents. 

21 (C) Twenty-three individuals appointed by 

22 the Board or Regents. In appointing members 

23 under this subparagraph, the Board of Regents 

24 should give special consideration to appoint25 ing— 


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1 (i) members of the Congressional 

2 Commission; 

3 (ii) board members of the National 

4 Women’s History Museum, a nonprofit, 

5 educational organization described in sec6 tion 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 

7 Code of 1986 that was incorporated in 

8 1996 in the District of Columbia and that 

9 is dedicated for the purpose of establishing 

10 a women’s history museum; and 

11 (iii) scholars and representatives of 

12 organizations that are committed to the 

13 study of women’s history. 

14 (3) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—The Board of 

15 Regents shall make initial appointments to the coun16 cil under paragraph (2) not later than 180 days 

17 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

18 (d) TERMS.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in this 

20 subsection, each appointed member of the council 

21 shall be appointed for a term of 3 years. 

22 (2) INITIAL APPOINTEES.—As designated by 

23 the Board of Regents at the time of appointment, of 

24 the voting members first appointed under subpara25 graph (C) of subsection (c)(2)— 


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1 (A) 8 members shall be appointed for a 

2 term of 1 year; 

3 (B) 8 members shall be appointed for a 

4 term of 2 years; and 

5 (C) 7 members shall be appointed for a 

6 term of 3 years. 

7 (3) REAPPOINTMENT.—A member of the coun8 cil may be reappointed, except that no individual 

9 may serve on the council for a total of more than 

10 2 terms. For purposes of this paragraph, the num11 ber of terms an individual serves on the council shall 

12 not include any portion of a term for which an indi13 vidual is appointed to fill a vacancy under paragraph 

14 (4)(B). 

15 (4) VACANCIES.— 

16 (A) IN GENERAL.—A vacancy on the coun17 cil— 

18 (i) shall not affect the powers of the 

19 council; and 

20 (ii) shall be filled in the same manner 

21 as the original appointment was made. 

22 (B) TERM.—Any member of the council 

23 appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the 

24 expiration of the term for which the member’s 


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1 predecessor was appointed shall be appointed 

2 for the remainder of that term. 

3 (e) COMPENSATION.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para5 graph (2), a member of the council shall serve with6 out pay. 

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

8 council shall be allowed travel expenses, including 

9 per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized 

10 for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of 

11 chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while 

12 away from the home or regular place of business of 

13 the member in the performance of the duties of the 

14 council. 

15 (f) CHAIRPERSON.—By a majority vote of its voting 

16 members, the council shall elect a chairperson from its 

17 members. 

18 (g) MEETINGS.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—The council shall meet at 

20 the call of the chairperson or on the written request 

21 of a majority of the voting members of the council, 

22 but not fewer than twice each year. 

23 (2) INITIAL MEETINGS.—Notwithstanding para24 graph (1), during the 1-year period beginning on the 

25 date of the first meeting of the council, the council 


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1 shall meet not fewer than 4 times for the purpose 

2 of carrying out the duties of the council under this 

3 Act. 

4 (h) QUORUM.—A majority of the voting members of 

5 the council holding office shall constitute a quorum for 

6 the purpose of conducting business, but a lesser number 

7 may receive information on behalf of the council. 

8 SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF THE MUSEUM. 

9 (a) DIRECTOR.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The museum established 

11 under section 3 shall have a Director who shall be 

12 appointed by the Secretary, taking into consideration 

13 individuals recommended by the council. 

14 (2) DUTIES.—The Director shall manage the 

15 museum subject to the policies of the Board of Re16 gents. 

17 (b) STAFF.—The Secretary may appoint 2 additional 

18 employees to serve under the Director, without regard to 

19 the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing 

20 appointments in the competitive service. 

21 (c) PAY.—The Secretary may fix the compensation 

22 of the employees appointed by the Secretary under sub23 section (b) without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 

24 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States 


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1 Code, relating to classification of positions and General 

2 Schedule pay rates. 

3 SEC. 6. EDUCATIONAL AND LIAISON PROGRAMS. 

4 (a) PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED.—The Director of the 

5 museum established under section 3 may carry out edu6 cational and liaison programs in support of the goals of 

7 the museum. 

8 (b) COLLABORATION WITH SCHOOLS.—In carrying 

9 out this section, the Director shall carry out educational 

10 programs in collaboration with elementary schools, sec11 ondary schools, and postsecondary educational institu12 tions. 

13 SEC. 7. BUILDING. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.— 

15 (1) LOCATION.— 

16 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 

17 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 

18 the Board of Regents shall designate a site for 

19 the museum established under section 3. 

20 (B) SITES FOR CONSIDERATION.—In des21 ignating a site under subparagraph (A), the 

22 Board of Regents shall select from among the 

23 following sites in the District of Columbia: 

24 (i) The site known as the ‘‘South 

25 Monument site’’, located on the National 


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1 Mall and bordered by 14th Street North2 west, Jefferson Drive Southwest, Raoul 

3 Wallenberg Place Southwest, and Inde4 pendence Ave Southwest. 

5 (ii) The Northwest United States 

6 Capitol site, bordered by 3rd Street North7 west, Constitution Avenue Northwest, 1st 

8 Street Northwest, and Pennsylvania Ave 

9 Northwest. 

10 (iii) Any other appropriate location as 

11 identified by the Board of Regents in con12 sultation with the council. 

13 (C) AVAILABILITY OF SITE.— 

14 (i) IN GENERAL.—The sites described 

15 in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (B) 

16 shall remain available until the date on 

17 which the Board of Regents designates a 

18 site for the museum under subparagraph 

19 (A). 

20 (ii) TRANSFER TO SMITHSONIAN IN21 STITUTION.—If the site designated for the 

22 museum is in an area that is under the ad23 ministrative jurisdiction of a Federal agen24 cy, as soon as practicable after the date on 

25 which the designation is made, the head of 


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1 the Federal agency shall transfer to the 

2 Smithsonian Institution administrative ju3 risdiction over the area. 

4 (D) FACTORS CONSIDERED.—In desig5 nating a site under subparagraph (A), the 

6 Board of Regents shall take into consideration 

7 each of the following factors: 

8 (i) An estimate of the costs associated 

9 with each potential site. 

10 (ii) An assessment of the suitability of 

11 the space of each potential site, including 

12 size, proximity to other buildings and 

13 transportation, and other external environ14 mental conditions, as appropriate. 

15 (iii) The recommendations of the Con16 gressional Commission. 

17 (E) CONSULTATION.—The Board of Re18 gents shall carry out its duties under this para19 graph in consultation with each of the fol20 lowing: 

21 (i) The Chair of the National Capital 

22 Planning Commission. 

23 (ii) The Chairperson of the Commis24 sion on Fine Arts. 


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1 (iii) The Chairperson of the Congres2 sional Commission. 

3 (iv) The chair and ranking minority 

4 member of the Committees on Appropria5 tions and Rules and Administration of the 

6 Senate. 

7 (v) The chair and ranking minority 

8 member of the Committees on Appropria9 tions, House Administration, and Trans10 portation and Infrastructure of the House 

11 of Representatives. 

12 (b) CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDING.—The Board of 

13 Regents, in consultation with the council, may plan, de14 sign, and construct a building for the museum, which shall 

15 be located at the site designated by the Board of Regents 

16 under subsection (a). 

17 (c) NONAPPLICABILITY OF PROVISIONS RELATING

18 TO MONUMENTS AND COMMEMORATIVE WORKS.—Chap19 ter 89 of title 40, United States Code, shall not apply with 

20 respect to the museum. 

21 (d) USE OF PRIVATE FUNDS FOR CONSTRUCTION.— 

22 The Board of Regents shall construct the building for the 

23 museum with funds provided from non-Federal sources. 

24 SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS. 

25 In this Act: 


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1 (1) BOARD OF REGENTS.—The term ‘‘Board of 

2 Regents’’ means the Board of Regents of the Smith3 sonian Institution. 

4 (2) CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION.—The term 

5 ‘‘Congressional Commission’’ means the Commission 

6 to Study the Potential Creation of a National Wom7 en’s History Museum, established under section 

8 3056 of the Military Construction Authorization Act 

9 for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 

10 Stat. 3810). 

11 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

12 the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 

13 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro15 priated to the Smithsonian Institution to carry out this 

16 Act, including the planning, design, and operation of the 

17 museum established under section 3, such sums as may 

18 be necessary for fiscal year 2018 and each succeeding fis19 cal year. 

20 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pursuant 

21 to the authorization under this section shall remain avail22 able until expended. 

23 (c) USE OF FUNDS FOR FUNDRAISING.—Amounts 

24 appropriated pursuant to the authorization under this secVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:02 Jul 11, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1498.IS S1498

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1 tion may be used to conduct fundraising in support of the 

2 museum established under section 3 from private sources. 

Æ 


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