I
108TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2195
To provide for additional space and resources for national collections held
by the Smithsonian Institution, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 21, 2003
Mr. REGULA (for himself, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, and Mr. MATSUI) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide for additional space and resources for national
collections held by the Smithsonian Institution, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Smithsonian Facilities
Authorization Act’’.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL SPACE AND RESOURCES FOR NA-
TIONAL COLLECTIONS HELD BY THE SMITH-
SONIAN INSTITUTION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Public Law 94–98 (20 U.S.C. 50
note; 89 Stat. 480) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
‘‘SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL SPACE AND RESOURCES FOR NA-
TIONAL COLLECTIONS HELD BY THE SMITH-
SONIAN INSTITUTION.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Board of Regents of the
Smithsonian Institution may plan, design, construct, and
equip additional special use storage and laboratory space
at the museum support facility of the Smithsonian Institu-
tion in Suitland, Maryland, to accommodate the care,
preservation, conservation, deposit, and study of national
collections held in trust by the Institution.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
section—
‘‘(1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
‘‘(2) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and
‘‘(3) such sums as are necessary for each of fis-
cal years 2005 through 2008.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 3 of Public
Law 94–98 (20 U.S.C. 50 note; 89 Stat. 480) is amended
in the first sentence by striking ‘‘the purposes of this
Act.’’ and inserting ‘‘this Act (other than section 4).’’.
SEC. 3. PATENT OFFICE BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS.
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF USE OF FUNDS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board of Regents of the
Smithsonian Institution may plan, design, and con-
struct improvements to the interior and exterior of
the Patent Office Building (including the construc-
tion of a roof covering for the courtyard), using
funds available to the Institution from non-
appropriated sources.
(2) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term
‘‘Patent Office Building’’ means the building trans-
ferred to the Smithsonian Institution pursuant to
Public Law 85–357.
(b) DESIGN AND SPECIFICATIONS.—The design and
specifications for any exterior alterations authorized by
subsection (a) shall be—
(1) submitted by the Secretary of the Smithso-
nian Institution (referred to in this section as the
‘‘Secretary’’) to the Commission of Fine Arts for
comments and recommendations; and
(2) subject to the review and approval of the
National Capital Planning Commission in accord-
ance with section 8722 of title 40, United States
Code, and section 16 of the Act of June 20, 1938
(sec. 6–641.15, D.C. Official Code).
(c) AUTHORITY OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AGEN-
CIES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall—
(A) take into account the effect of the im-
provements authorized by subsection (a) on the
historic character of the Patent Office Building;
and
(B) provide the Advisory Council on His-
toric Preservation a reasonable opportunity to
comment with regard to such improvements.
(2) STATUS OF SMITHSONIAN.—In carrying out
this subsection, and in carrying out other projects in
the District of Columbia which are subject to the re-
view and approval of the National Capital Planning
Commission in accordance with section 16 of the Act
of June 20, 1938 (sec. 6–641.15, D.C. Official
Code), the Smithsonian Institution shall be deemed
to be an agency for purposes of compliance with reg-
ulations promulgated by the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation pursuant to section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C.
470f).
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING JAZZ APPRECIA-
TION MONTH.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) On December 4, 1987, Congress approved
House Concurrent Resolution 57, designating jazz
as ‘‘a rare and valuable national American treas-
ure’’.
(2) Jazz has inspired some of the Nation’s lead-
ing creative artists and ranks as one of the greatest
cultural exports of the United States.
(3) Jazz is an original American art form which
has inspired dancers, choreographers, poets, novel-
ists, filmmakers, classical composers, and musicians
in many other kinds of music.
(4) Jazz has become an international language
that bridges cultural differences and brings people of
all races, ages, and backgrounds together.
(5) The jazz heritage of the United States
should be appreciated as broadly as possible and
should be part of the educational curriculum for
children in the United States.
(6) The Smithsonian Institution has played a
vital role in the preservation of American culture, in-
cluding art and music.
(7) The Smithsonian Institution’s National Mu-
seum of American History has established April as
Jazz Appreciation Month to pay tribute to jazz as
both a historic and living American art form.
(8) The Smithsonian Institution’s National Mu-
seum of American History has received great con-
tributions toward this effort from other govern-
mental agencies and cultural organizations.
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that—
(1) the Smithsonian Institution’s National Mu-
seum of American History should be commended for
establishing a Jazz Appreciation Month; and
(2) musicians, schools, colleges, libraries, con-
cert halls, museums, radio and television stations,
and other organizations should develop programs to
explore, perpetuate, and honor jazz as a national
and world treasure.
Æ