I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 512 

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

Museum of the American Latino to develop a plan of action for the 

establishment and maintenance of a National Museum of the American 

Latino in Washington, DC, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 17, 2007 

Mr. BECERRA (for himself, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. 

HINOJOSA, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, 

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. SALAZAR, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. 

TOWNS, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ

of California, Mr. REYES, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. MOORE of 

Kansas, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. JOHNSON of 

Georgia, Mr. BACA, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. COSTA, Mr. 

CROWLEY, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. 

LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. SIRES, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. UDALL

of New Mexico, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. FILNER, Mr. HONDA, 

Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. JACKSON-LEE

of Texas, Mr. CLAY, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZBALART of Florida, Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. FORTUN ̃O, 

Mr. RENZI, Mr. WELLER of Illinois, and Mr. LAHOOD) 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 the National Museum of the American Latino to develop a plan of action for the establishment and mainteVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:02 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H512.IH H512

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nance of a National Museum of the American Latino 

in Washington, DC, 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 Potential Creation of the National Museum of the 

6 American Latino Act of 2007’’. 

7 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Commis9 sion to Study the Potential Creation of a National Mu10 seum of the American Latino (hereafter in this Act re11 ferred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

12 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall consist of 

13 23 members appointed not later than 6 months after the 

14 date of the enactment of this Act as follows: 

15 (1) The President shall appoint 7 voting mem16 bers. 

17 (2) The Speaker of the House of Representa18 tives, the minority leader of the House of Represent19 atives, the majority leader of the Senate, and the mi20 nority leader of the Senate shall each appoint 3 vot21 ing members. 

22 (3) In addition to the members appointed under 

23 paragraph (2), the Speaker of the House of Rep24 resentatives, the minority leader of the House of 


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1 Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, 

2 and the minority leader of the Senate shall each ap3 point 1 nonvoting member. 

4 (c) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members of the Commission 

5 shall be chosen from among individuals, or representatives 

6 of institutions or entities, who possess either— 

7 (1) a demonstrated commitment to the re8 search, study, or promotion of American Latino life, 

9 art, history, political or economic status, or culture, 

10 together with— 

11 (A) expertise in museum administration; 

12 (B) expertise in fundraising for nonprofit 

13 or cultural institutions; 

14 (C) experience in the study and teaching of 

15 Latino culture and history at the post-sec16 ondary level; 

17 (D) experience in studying the issue of the 

18 Smithsonian Institution’s representation of 

19 American Latino art, life, history, and culture; 

20 or 

21 (E) extensive experience in public or elect22 ed service; or 

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

24 planning for the establishment of, museums devoted 


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1 to the study and promotion of the role of ethnic, ra2 cial, or cultural groups in American history. 

3 SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION. 

4 (a) PLAN OF ACTION FOR ESTABLISHMENT AND

5 MAINTENANCE OF MUSEUM.—The Commission shall sub6 mit a report to the President and the Congress containing 

7 its recommendations with respect to a plan of action for 

8 the establishment and maintenance of a National Museum 

9 of the American Latino in Washington, DC (hereafter in 

10 this Act referred to as the ‘‘Museum’’). 

11 (b) FUNDRAISING PLAN.—The Commission shall de12 velop a fundraising plan for supporting the creation and 

13 maintenance of the Museum through contributions by the 

14 American people, and a separate plan on fundraising by 

15 the American Latino community. 

16 (c) REPORT ON ISSUES.—The Commission shall ex17 amine (in consultation with the Secretary of the Smithso18 nian Institution), and submit a report to the President 

19 and the Congress on, the following issues: 

20 (1) The availability and cost of collections to be 

21 acquired and housed in the Museum. 

22 (2) The impact of the Museum on regional 

23 Hispanic- and Latino-related museums. 

24 (3) Possible locations for the Museum in Wash25 ington, DC and its environs, to be considered in conVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:02 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H512.IH H512

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1 sultation with the National Capital Planning Com2 mission and the Commission of Fine Arts, the De3 partment of the Interior and Smithsonian Institu4 tion. 

5 (4) Whether the Museum should be located 

6 within the Smithsonian Institution. 

7 (5) The governance and organizational struc8 ture from which the Museum should operate. 

9 (6) How to engage the American Latino com10 munity in the development and design of the Mu11 seum. 

12 (7) The cost of constructing, operating, and 

13 maintaining the Museum. 

14 (d) LEGISLATION TO CARRY OUT PLAN OF AC15 TION.—Based on the recommendations contained in the 

16 report submitted under subsection (a) and the report sub17 mitted under subsection (c), the Commission shall submit 

18 for consideration to the Committee on Transportation and 

19 Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, the Com20 mittee on House Administration of the House of Rep21 resentatives, the Committee on Rules and Administration 

22 of the Senate, the Committees on Natural Resources of 

23 the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the 

24 Committees on Appropriations of the House of RepresentVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:02 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H512.IH H512

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1 atives and the Senate recommendations for a legislative 

2 plan of action to create and construct the Museum. 

3 (e) NATIONAL CONFERENCE.—In carrying out its 

4 functions under this section, the Commission may convene 

5 a national conference on the Museum, comprised of indi6 viduals committed to the advancement of American Latino 

7 life, art, history, and culture, not later than 18 months 

8 after the commission members are selected. 

9 SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 

10 (a) FACILITIES AND SUPPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF

11 THE INTERIOR.—The Department of the Interior shall 

12 provide from funds appropriated for this purpose adminis13 trative services, facilities, and funds necessary for the per14 formance of the Commission’s functions. These funds shall 

15 be made available prior to any meetings of the Commis16 sion. 

17 (b) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Commis18 sion who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Gov19 ernment may receive compensation for each day on which 

20 the member is engaged in the work of the Commission, 

21 at a daily rate to be determined by the Secretary of the 

22 Interior. 

23 (c) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall be enti24 tled to travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:02 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H512.IH H512

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1 sistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under 

2 subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. 

3 (d) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 

4 Commission is not subject to the provisions of the Federal 

5 Advisory Committee Act. 

6 SEC. 5. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF REPORTS; TERMI7 NATION. 

8 (a) DEADLINE.—The Commission shall submit final 

9 versions of the reports and plans required under section 

10 3 not later than 24 months after the date of the Commis11 sion’s first meeting. 

12 (b) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

13 not later than 30 days after submitting the final versions 

14 of reports and plans pursuant to subsection (a). 

15 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

16 There are authorized to be appropriated for carrying 

17 out the activities of the Commission $2,100,000 for the 

18 first fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment 

19 of this Act and $1,100,000 for the second fiscal year be20 ginning after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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