II

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2080

To designate a site for the relocation of the public facility of the National

Museum of Health and Medicine, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MAY 5 (legislative day, MAY 2), 1994

Mr. HATFIELD (for himself, Mr. NUNN, Mr. KENNEDY, and Mr. HARKIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To designate a site for the relocation of the public facility

of the National Museum of Health and Medicine, 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. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

4 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

5 (1) the United States faces critical health care

6 problems, solutions for which will arise from an at7 tentive and educated citizenry;

8 (2) there is a great need for an increased em9 phasis to be placed on public health education and
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1 the development of scientific literacy concerning

2 health care issues;

3 (3) when the National Museum of Health and

4 Medicine, formerly the Army Medical Museum, was

5 located on the Mall in Washington, District of Co6 lumbia, from 1888 to 1968, it was one of the most

7 popular and well-visited museums in the Nation’s

8 Capital;

9 (4) with the removal of the museum from the

10 Mall to the grounds of the Walter Reed Army Medi11 cal Center in 1968, there was no longer a national

12 education facility devoted to this purpose located

13 within the District of Columbia within easy access to

14 the up to 25,000,000 individuals who visit the Mall

15 each year; and

16 (5) the American taxpayer, through the United

17 States Government, pays approximately 30 percent

18 of the costs of all health care services, services which

19 could be reduced with the advent of better educated,

20 informed Americans.

21 (b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to des22 ignate a site for the relocation of the public facility of the

23 National Museum of Health and Medicine so that it may

24 serve as a central resource of instruction about and in-
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1 volvement in the critical health issues which confront all

2 American citizens.

3 SEC. 2. SITE OF FACILITY.

4 The public facility of the National Museum of Health

5 and Medicine shall be located on the following adjacent

6 areas of land owned by the Federal Government in the

7 District of Columbia:

8 (1) The east plaza of the Hubert Humphrey

9 Building, presently occupied by the Department of

10 Health and Human Services.

11 (2) The entire portion of 2nd Street, S.W., that

12 is located between C and Washington Streets, S.W.

13 (3) A triangular park, known as Square N–580,

14 that lies immediately to the east of 2nd Street, S.W.

15 SEC. 3. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZA16 TION.

17 In accordance with procedures of the District of Co18 lumbia, the General Services Administration is authorized

19 to apply for the closing and transfer of jurisdiction over

20 the entire portion of 2nd Street, S.W., the District of Co21 lumbia located between C and Washington Streets, S.W.,

22 and the transfer of jurisdiction of Square N–580, from

23 the District of Columbia to the General Services Adminis24 tration for the purpose of locating the National Museum

25 of Health and Medicine.
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1 SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

2 Nothing in this Act shall be construed as limiting the

3 authority or responsibilities of the National Capital Plan4 ning Commission or the Commission of Fine Arts.

5 SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

6 As used in this Act, the term ‘‘the Mall’’ means—

7 (1) the land designated as ‘‘Union Square’’,

8 District of Columbia Reservation 6A;

9 (2) the land designated as the ‘‘Mall’’, District

10 of Columbia Reservations 3, 4, 5, and 6;

11 (3) the land designated as the ‘‘Monument

12 Grounds’’, District of Columbia Reservation 2; and

13 (4) the land designated as ‘‘West Potomac

14 Park’’, District of Columbia Reservations 3, 3,

15 and 2.

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