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103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2226

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

JUNE 21 (legislative day, JUNE 7), 1994

Mr. HATFIELD introduced the following bill; which was read twice and

referred to the Committee on Armed Services

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—

22 (1) display and interpret the collections of the

23 Armed Forces Institute of Pathology currently lo24 cated at Walter Reed Medical Center; and
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1 (2) to designate a site for the relocation of the

2 public facility of the National Museum of Health

3 and Medicine, so that it may serve as a central re4 source of instruction about the critical health issues

5 which confront all American citizens.

6 SEC. 2. SITE OF FACILITY.

7 The public facility of the National Museum of Health

8 and Medicine shall be located on the following adjacent

9 areas of land owned by the Federal Government in the

10 District of Columbia:

11 (1) The east plaza of the Hubert Humphrey

12 Building, presently occupied by the Department of

13 Health and Human Services.

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

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

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

17 that lie immediately to the east of 2nd Street, S.W.

18 SEC. 3. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZA19 TION.

20 In accordance with procedures of the District of Co21 lumbia, the General Services Administration is authorized

22 to apply for the closing and transfer of jurisdiction over

23 the entire portion of 2nd Street, S.W., the District of Co24 lumbia located between C and Washington Streets, S.W.,

25 and the transfer of jurisdiction of Square N–580, from
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1 the District of Columbia to the General Services Adminis2 tration for the purpose of locating the National Museum

3 of Health and Medicine.

4 SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

5 Nothing in this Act shall be construed as limiting the

6 authority or responsibilities of the National Capital Plan7 ning Commission or the Commission of Fine Arts.

8 SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

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

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

11 District of Columbia Reservation 6A;

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

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

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

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

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

17 Park’’, District of Columbia Reservations 3, 3, and

18 2.

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