II 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 500 

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2007 

Mr. SALAZAR (for himself, Mr. MARTINEZ, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. BAYH, Mr. 

BIDEN, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. DOMENICI, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. 

FEINSTEIN, Mrs. HUTCHISON, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. KERRY, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. MCCAIN, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Mr. OBAMA, Mr. REID, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. BROWN, Mr. FEINGOLD, 

and Mrs. CLINTON) introduced the following bill; which was read twice 

and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

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 maintenance 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, 

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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commission to Study 

3 the Potential Creation of the National Museum of the 

4 American Latino Act of 2007’’. 

5 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Commis7 sion to Study the Potential Creation of a National Mu8 seum of the American Latino (in this Act referred to as 

9 the ‘‘Commission’’). 

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

11 23 members appointed not later than 6 months after the 

12 date of enactment of this Act as follows: 

13 (1) The President shall appoint 7 voting mem14 bers. 

15 (2) The Speaker of the House of Representa16 tives, the minority leader of the House of Represent17 atives, the majority leader of the Senate, and the mi18 nority leader of the Senate shall each appoint 3 vot19 ing members. 

20 (3) In addition to the members appointed under 

21 paragraph (2), the Speaker of the House of Rep22 resentatives, the minority leader of the House of 

23 Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, 

24 and the minority leader of the Senate shall each ap25 point 1 nonvoting member. 

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1 (c) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members of the Commission 

2 shall be chosen from among individuals, or representatives 

3 of institutions or entities, who possess either— 

4 (1) a demonstrated commitment to the re5 search, study, or promotion of American Latino life, 

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

7 together with— 

8 (A) expertise in museum administration; 

9 (B) expertise in fundraising for nonprofit 

10 or cultural institutions; 

11 (C) experience in the study and teaching of 

12 Latino culture and history at the post-sec13 ondary level; 

14 (D) experience in studying the issue of the 

15 Smithsonian Institution’s representation of 

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

17 or 

18 (E) extensive experience in public or elect19 ed service; or 

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

21 planning for the establishment of, museums devoted 

22 to the study and promotion of the role of ethnic, ra23 cial, or cultural groups in American history. 

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1 SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION. 

2 (a) PLAN OF ACTION FOR ESTABLISHMENT AND

3 MAINTENANCE OF MUSEUM.—The Commission shall sub4 mit a report to the President and Congress containing its 

5 recommendations with respect to a plan of action for the 

6 establishment and maintenance of a National Museum of 

7 the American Latino in Washington, DC (in this Act re8 ferred to as the ‘‘Museum’’). 

9 (b) FUNDRAISING PLAN.—The Commission shall de10 velop a fundraising plan for supporting the creation and 

11 maintenance of the Museum through contributions by the 

12 American people, and a separate plan on fundraising by 

13 the American Latino community. 

14 (c) REPORT ON ISSUES.—The Commission shall ex15 amine (in consultation with the Secretary of the Smithso16 nian Institution), and submit a report to the President 

17 and Congress on, the following issues: 

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

19 acquired and housed in the Museum. 

20 (2) The impact of the Museum on regional 

21 Hispanic- and Latino-related museums. 

22 (3) Possible locations for the Museum in Wash23 ington, DC and its environs, to be considered in con24 sultation with the National Capital Planning Com25 mission and the Commission of Fine Arts, the Demstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS

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1 partment of the Interior and Smithsonian Institu2 tion. 

3 (4) Whether the Museum should be located 

4 within the Smithsonian Institution. 

5 (5) The governance and organizational struc6 ture from which the Museum should operate. 

7 (6) How to engage the American Latino com8 munity in the development and design of the Mu9 seum. 

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

11 maintaining the Museum. 

12 (d) LEGISLATION TO CARRY OUT PLAN OF AC13 TION.—Based on the recommendations contained in the 

14 report submitted under subsection (a) and the report sub15 mitted under subsection (c), the Commission shall submit 

16 for consideration to the Committee on Transportation and 

17 Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, the Com18 mittee on House Administration of the House of Rep19 resentatives, the Committee on Rules and Administration 

20 of the Senate, the Committees on Natural Resources of 

21 the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the 

22 Committees on Appropriations of the House of Represent23 atives and the Senate recommendations for a legislative 

24 plan of action to create and construct the Museum. 

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

2 functions under this section, the Commission may convene 

3 a national conference on the Museum, comprised of indi4 viduals committed to the advancement of American Latino 

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

6 after the commission members are selected. 

7 SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 

8 (a) FACILITIES AND SUPPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF

9 THE INTERIOR.—The Department of the Interior shall 

10 provide from funds appropriated for this purpose adminis11 trative services, facilities, and funds necessary for the per12 formance of the Commission’s functions. These funds shall 

13 be made available prior to any meetings of the Commis14 sion. 

15 (b) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Commis16 sion who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Gov17 ernment may receive compensation for each day on which 

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

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

20 Interior. 

21 (c) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall be enti22 tled to travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of sub23 sistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under 

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

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1 (d) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 

2 Commission is not subject to the provisions of the Federal 

3 Advisory Committee Act. 

4 SEC. 5. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF REPORTS; TERMI5 NATION. 

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

7 versions of the reports and plans required under section 

8 3 not later than 24 months after the date of the Commis9 sion’s first meeting. 

10 (b) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

11 not later than 30 days after submitting the final versions 

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

13 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

14 There are authorized to be appropriated for carrying 

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

16 first fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of 

17 this Act and $1,100,000 for the second fiscal year begin18 ning after the date of enactment of this Act. 

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