I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2122 
To designate the Battleship IOWA Museum, located in Los Angeles, Cali-
fornia, as the National Museum of the Surface Navy, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 23, 2021 
Ms. BARRAGA´N (for herself, Ms. BROWNLEY, Ms. CHU, Mr. SCHIFF, Mrs. 
NAPOLITANO, and Mr. LOWENTHAL) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To designate the Battleship IOWA Museum, located in Los 
Angeles, California, as the National Museum of the Sur-
face Navy, 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 ‘‘Battleship Iowa Na-
tional Museum of the Surface Navy Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) The United States Surface Navy represents 
the millions of sailors and thousands of ships that 
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sail on oceans around the world to ensure the safety 
and freedom of Americans and all people. 
(2) The Battleship IOWA is an iconic Surface 
Navy vessel that— 
(A) served as home to hundreds of thou-
sands of sailors from all 50 States; and 
(B) is recognized as a transformational 
feat of engineering and innovation. 
(3) In 2012, the Navy donated the Battleship 
IOWA to the Pacific Battleship Center, a nonprofit 
organization pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986, after which the Center 
established the Battleship IOWA Museum at the 
Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California. 
(4) The Battleship IOWA Museum is a mu-
seum and educational institution that— 
(A) has welcomed millions of visitors from 
across the United States and receives support 
from thousands of Americans throughout the 
United States to preserve the legacy of those 
who served on the Battleship IOWA and all 
Surface Navy ships; 
(B) is home to Los Angeles Fleet Week, 
which has the highest public engagement of any 
Fleet Week in the United States and raises 
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awareness of the importance of the Navy to de-
fending the United States, maintaining safe sea 
lanes, and providing humanitarian assistance; 
(C) hosts numerous military activities, in-
cluding 
enlistments, 
re-enlistments, 
commissionings, promotions, and community 
service days, with participants from throughout 
the United States; 
(D) is a leader in museum engagement 
with innovative exhibits, diverse programming, 
and use of technology; 
(E) is an on-site training platform for Fed-
eral, State, and local law enforcement personnel 
to use for a variety of training exercises, includ-
ing urban search and rescue and maritime secu-
rity exercises; 
(F) is a partner with the Navy in carrying 
out Defense Support of Civil Authorities efforts 
by supporting training exercises and responses 
to crises, including the COVID–19 pandemic; 
(G) is a science, technology, engineering, 
and mathematics education platform for thou-
sands of students each year; 
(H) is an instrumental partner in the eco-
nomic development efforts along the Los Ange-
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les waterfront by attracting hundreds of thou-
sands of visitors annually and improving the 
quality of life for area residents; and 
(I) provides a safe place for— 
(i) veteran engagement and reintegra-
tion into the community through programs 
and activities that provide a sense of be-
longing to members of the Armed Forces 
and veterans; and 
(ii) proud Americans to come together 
in common purpose to highlight the impor-
tance of service to community for the fu-
ture of the United States. 
(5) In January 2019, the Pacific Battleship 
Center received a license for the rights of the Na-
tional Museum of the Surface Navy from the Navy 
for the purpose of building such museum aboard the 
Battleship IOWA at the Port of Los Angeles. 
(6) The National Museum of the Surface Navy 
will— 
(A) be the official museum to honor mil-
lions of Americans who have proudly served and 
continue to serve in the Surface Navy since the 
founding of the Navy on October 13, 1775; 
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(B) be a community-based and future-ori-
ented museum that will raise awareness and 
educate the public on the important role of the 
Surface Navy in ensuring international rela-
tions, maintaining safe sea transit for free 
trade, preventing piracy, providing humani-
tarian assistance, and enhancing the role of the 
United States throughout the world; 
(C) build on successes of the Battleship 
IOWA Museum by introducing new exhibits and 
programs with a focus on education, veterans, 
and community; 
(D) borrow and exhibit artifacts from the 
Navy and other museums and individuals 
throughout the United States; and 
(E) work with individuals from the Surface 
Navy community and the public to ensure that 
the story of the Surface Navy community is ac-
curately interpreted and represented. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE SURFACE NAVY. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—The Battleship IOWA Museum, 
located in Los Angeles, California, and managed by the 
Pacific Battleship Center, shall be designated as the ‘‘Na-
tional Museum of the Surface Navy’’. 
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