I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1596 

To establish the Commission to study the potential creation of a National 

Museum of Irish American History, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2017 

Mr. BYRNE (for himself, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. NEAL, Mr. MEEHAN, 

Mr. MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. LYNCH, and Mr. 

MCGOVERN) 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 Irish American History, 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 Creation of a National Museum of Irish American His6 tory’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

4 means the Commission to study the potential cre5 ation of a National Museum of Irish American His6 tory established by section 3(a). 

7 (2) MUSEUM.—The term ‘‘Museum’’ means the 

8 National Museum of Irish American History. 

9 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

10 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is established the 

12 Commission to study the potential creation of an 

13 Irish American Museum. 

14 (2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall con15 sist of 23 members appointed not later than 6 

16 months after the date of the enactment of this Act 

17 as follows: 

18 (A) The President shall appoint 7 voting 

19 members. 

20 (B) The Speaker of the House of Rep21 resentatives, the Minority Leader of the House 

22 of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the 

23 Senate, and the Minority Leader of the Senate 

24 shall each appoint— 

25 (i) 3 voting members; and 

26 (ii) 1 nonvoting member. 


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1 (3) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members of the Com2 mission shall be chosen from individuals, or rep3 resentatives of institutions or entities, who possess 

4 either— 

5 (A) a demonstrated commitment to the re6 search, study, or promotion of Irish-American 

7 life, art, history, political or economic status, or 

8 culture, together with— 

9 (i) expertise in museum administra10 tion; 

11 (ii) expertise in fundraising for non12 profit or cultural institutions; 

13 (iii) experience in the study and 

14 teaching of Irish-American culture and his15 tory at the post-secondary level; 

16 (iv) experience in studying the issue of 

17 the Smithsonian Institution’s representa18 tion of Irish-American art, life, history, 

19 and culture; or 

20 (v) extensive experience in public or 

21 elected service; or 

22 (B) experience in the administration of, or 

23 the planning for the establishment of, museums 

24 devoted to the study and promotion of the role 


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1 of ethnic, racial, or cultural groups in American 

2 history. 

3 (4) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commis4 sion— 

5 (A) shall not affect the powers of the Com6 mission; and 

7 (B) shall be filled in the same manner as 

8 the original appointment was made. 

9 (5) CHAIRPERSON.—The Commission shall, by 

10 majority vote of all of the members, select 1 member 

11 of the Commission to serve as the Chairperson of 

12 the Commission. 

13 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 

14 (a) REPORTS.— 

15 (1) PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT

16 AND MAINTENANCE OF MUSEUM.—The Commission 

17 shall submit a report to the President and the Con18 gress containing its recommendations with respect to 

19 a plan of action for the establishment and mainte20 nance of an Irish-American Museum in Washington, 

21 D.C. 

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

23 examine, in consultation with the Secretary of the 

24 Smithsonian Institution, and submit a report to the 

25 President and the Congress on the following issues: 


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1 (A) The availability and cost of collections 

2 to be acquired and housed in the Museum. 

3 (B) The impact of the Museum on regional 

4 Irish-American-related museums. 

5 (C) Possible locations for the Museum in 

6 Washington, D.C. and its environs, to be con7 sidered in consultation with the National Cap8 ital Planning Commission and the Commission 

9 of Fine Arts, the Department of the Interior, 

10 and Smithsonian Institution. 

11 (D) Whether the Museum should be lo12 cated within the Smithsonian Institution. 

13 (E) The governance and organizational 

14 structure from which the Museum should oper15 ate. 

16 (F) How to engage the Irish-American 

17 community in the development and design of 

18 the Museum. 

19 (G) The cost of constructing, operating, 

20 and maintaining the Museum. 

21 (b) FUNDRAISING PLAN.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall de23 velop a fundraising plan to support the establish24 ment, operation, and maintenance of the Museum 

25 through contributions 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 (c) INDEPENDENT REVIEW.—The Commission shall 

7 obtain an independent review of the viability of the plan 

8 developed under subsection (b)(1) and such review shall 

9 include an analysis as to whether the plan is likely to 

10 achieve the level of resources necessary to fund the con11 struction of the Museum and the operations and mainte12 nance of the Museum in perpetuity without reliance on 

13 appropriations of Federal funds. 

14 (d) SUBMISSION.—The Commission shall submit the 

15 plan developed under subsection (b)(1) and the review con16 ducted under paragraph (3) to the Committees on Trans17 portation and Infrastructure, House Administration, Nat18 ural Resources, and Appropriations of the House of Rep19 resentatives and the Committees on Rules and Adminis20 tration, Energy and Natural Resources, and Appropria21 tions of the Senate. 

22 (e) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LEGISLATION TO

23 CARRY OUT PLAN OF ACTION.—Based on the rec24 ommendations contained in the report submitted under 

25 subsection (a), the Commission shall submit for considerVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:13 Mar 22, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1596.IH H1596

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1 ation recommendations for a legislative plan of action to 

2 create and construct the Museum to— 

3 (1) the Committee on Transportation and In4 frastructure of the House of Representatives; 

5 (2) the Committee on House Administration of 

6 the House of Representatives; 

7 (3) the Committee on Rules and Administration 

8 of the Senate; 

9 (4) the Committee on Natural Resources of the 

10 House of Representatives; 

11 (5) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re12 sources of the Senate; and 

13 (6) the Committees on Appropriations of the 

14 House of Representatives and the Senate 

15 (f) DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF REPORTS.—The 

16 Commission shall submit final versions the reports and 

17 plans required— 

18 (1) under subsection (a) and (b) not later than 

19 24 months after the date of the Commission’s first 

20 meeting; and 

21 (2) under subsection (e) not later than 12 

22 months after the date that the reports and plans re23 ferred to in paragraph (1) are submitted. 

24 (g) NATIONAL CONFERENCE.—In carrying out its 

25 functions under this section, not later than 18 months 


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1 after the commission members are selected, the Commis2 sion may host a national conference on the Museum, com3 prised of individuals committed to the advancement of 

4 Irish-American life, art, history, and culture. 

5 SEC. 5. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION. 

6 (a) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may em8 ploy and compensate an executive director and any 

9 other additional personnel that are necessary to en10 able the Commission to perform the duties of the 

11 Commission. 

12 (2) RATES OF PAY.—Rates of pay for persons 

13 employed under paragraph (1) shall be consistent 

14 with the rates of pay allowed for employees of a tem15 porary organization under section 3161 of title 5, 

16 United States Code. 

17 (b) NOT FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT.—Any individual 

18 employed under this Act shall not be considered a Federal 

19 employee for the purpose of any law governing Federal 

20 employment. 

21 (c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), on 

23 request of the Commission the head of a Federal 

24 agency may provide technical assistance to the Com25 mission. 


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1 (2) DETAILEES.—No Federal employees may be 

2 detailed to the Commission. 

3 SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 

4 (a) COMPENSATION.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—A member of the Commis6 sion— 

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

8 employee for any purpose by reason of service 

9 on the Commission; and 

10 (B) shall serve without pay. 

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

12 Commission shall be allowed a per diem allowance 

13 for travel expenses, at rates consistent with those 

14 authorized under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 

15 5, United States Code. 

16 (b) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, DEVISES.—The Commission 

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

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

19 the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the Com20 mission. 

21 (c) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 

22 Commission is not subject to the provisions of the Federal 

23 Advisory Committee Act. 


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1 SEC. 7. TERMINATION. 

2 The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 

3 30 days after the date on which the final versions of the 

4 reports and plans required under section 4 are submitted. 

5 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION FOR APPROPRIATIONS. 

6 There are authorized to be appropriated for carrying 

7 out the activities of the Commission— 

8 (1) $2,100,000 for the first fiscal year begin9 ning after the date of the enactment of this Act; and 

10 (2) $1,100,000 for the second fiscal year begin11 ning after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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