National Museum of the American People Presidential Commission Establishment Act of 2021
Bill: S.2077 | Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian (D-HI)
Policy area: Social Sciences and History

Summary:
National Museum of the American People Presidential Commission Establishment Act of 2021
This bill directs the President to establish a bipartisan commission to study the establishment of a National Museum of the American People.


To establish a bipartisan Presidential Commission to study the 
 establishment of a National Museum of the American People to tell the 
 story about the making of the American People, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Museum of the American 
People Presidential Commission Establishment Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Our Nation continues to struggle with acceptance of 
        immigrant communities and individuals having diverse ancestry 
        despite the Nation's own diverse ancestry history and the major 
        contributions of immigrants to our country.
            (2) Our Nation recognizes its imperfections yet continues 
        to strive to uphold the principles, aspirations, and ideals 
        based on its founding documents upon which our Nation was 
        founded and built.
            (3) Our Nation is searching for unity and a National Museum 
        of the American People can serve as a vehicle to bring all 
        Americans together to help heal our Nation's divisive wounds.
            (4) A National Museum of the American People would tell the 
        full story about the making of the American people from 
        wherever they came: Europe, Asia and the Pacific Islands, 
        Oceania, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, including 
        the First Peoples.
            (5) There is no national museum in Washington, DC, that--
                    (A) tells the story of all of the people of the 
                United States; or
                    (B) tells a history of indigenous peoples, 
                colonization, slavery, immigration, and migration to 
                and within the United States.
            (6) A National Museum of the American People would--
                    (A) recount the history of all groups of people who 
                came to the United States and the contributions of 
                those people to the United States;
                    (B) embody the theme ``E Pluribus Unum'', the 
                original motto of the United States;
                    (C) celebrate all ethnicities, nationalities and 
                minorities within the United States;
                    (D) foster a sense of belonging by all Americans;
                    (E) contribute to a common national identity as 
                people of the United States;
                    (F) recognize the continued importance of 
                immigrants to our Nation's success;
                    (G) highlight the role of the Declaration of 
                Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, 
                the founding documents of the United States;
                    (H) explore the ways in which those documents 
                shaped the character of the people of the United States 
                and infused Americans with common values and a 
                dedication to a democratic form of government;
                    (I) be a resource for State, local, and ethnic 
                museums throughout the United States that present 
                exhibits that celebrate the heritage of the people of 
                the United States; and
                    (J) include the stories of and benefit all people 
                of the United States.
            (7) People from every ethnic group in the United States 
        would visit a National Museum of the American People to learn 
        their own history and the history of every other ethnic group 
        in the United States.
            (8) Leaders and visitors from every country would visit a 
        National Museum of the American People to learn about the 
        American people.
            (9) The goal of a National Museum of the American People 
        would be to--
                    (A) be the best storytelling museum in the world;
                    (B) recount one of the most amazing stories in 
                human history;
                    (C) honor all of the people who have become people 
                of the United States;
                    (D) acknowledge that our Nation celebrates justice, 
                equal opportunity, and respect for the human dignity of 
                all;
                    (E) educate every American about the migration and 
                immigration stories that contributed to the successes 
                and advancement of our Nation; and
                    (F) foster learning about the American people at 
                the Museum and throughout the Nation.
            (10) Upon the date of enactment of this Act, non-Federal 
        sources will be sought to support funding for a Presidential 
        Commission to study the establishment of the National Museum of 
        the American People.
            (11) Non-Federal sources are anticipated to provide funding 
        to design and build the National Museum of the American People, 
        its exhibitions, and its components.
            (12) Two hundred and fifty organizations representing 73 
        different ethnic, nationality, minority, and genealogical 
        groups support the establishment of a museum to tell their 
        stories in a national Washington, DC, museum about becoming 
        Americans.

SEC. 3. COMMISSION TO STUDY ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE 
              AMERICAN PEOPLE.

    (a) In General.--The President shall establish a bipartisan 
commission (referred to in this section as the ``Commission'') to study 
the establishment of a National Museum of the American People (referred 
to as the ``Museum'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--The Commission shall be composed of 32 
        members appointed not later than 60 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act as follows:
                    (A) The President shall appoint 16 voting members, 
                including the Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission.
                    (B) The Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
                the minority leader of the House of Representatives, 
                the majority leader of the Senate, and the minority 
                leader of the Senate shall each appoint 4 voting 
                members.
            (2) Qualifications.--Members of the Commission shall be 
        chosen from among individuals, or representatives of 
        institutions or entities, who possess either--
                    (A) a demonstrated commitment to the research, 
                study, or promotion of the American people as described 
                in section 2 of this Act, together with--
                            (i) expertise in museum administration;
                            (ii) expertise in fundraising or serving as 
                        a funder for nonprofit or cultural 
                        institutions;
                            (iii) experience as a scholar focused on 
                        any aspect of the making of the American people 
                        from first peoples through today;
                            (iv) experience in studying the Smithsonian 
                        Institution's representation of American art, 
                        life, history, and culture;
                            (v) extensive experience in public or 
                        elected service;
                            (vi) leadership of, or national 
                        representation for, ethnic or minority groups; 
                        or
                            (vii) extensive experience with museum 
                        public relations and instituting a new national 
                        museum; or
                    (B) experience or expertise in the administration 
                of, or the planning and design for the establishment 
                of, museums or other institutions devoted to the study 
                and promotion of the role of ethnic, racial, or 
                cultural groups in American history.
            (3) Period of appointment; vacancies.--Members shall be 
        appointed for the life of the Commission. Any vacancy in the 
        Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in 
        the same manner as the original appointment.
            (4) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
        shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may 
        hold hearings.
            (5) Initial meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
        on which a quorum of members of the Commission have been 
        appointed, the Commission shall hold its first meeting.
            (6) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
        Chair.
    (c) Duties of the Commission.--
            (1) Study.--The Commission shall conduct a thorough study 
        of all matters relating to the establishment of a National 
        Museum of the American People.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
        first meeting of the Commission, the Commission shall submit a 
        publicly available report to the President and Congress, which 
        shall contain a detailed statement of the findings and 
        conclusions of the Commission, together with the Commission's 
        recommendations for such legislation or administrative actions 
        as the Commission considers appropriate, on the following 
        issues:
                    (A) The mission of the National Museum of the 
                American People, which is to advance and share 
                knowledge about the full history of the making of the 
                American people who came from every corner of our 
                planet and are tied together by our Constitution's 
                first words: ``We the People''.
                    (B) The story about the making of the American 
                people in 4 chapters:
                            (i) First Peoples Come: 10,000+ years ago 
                        (est.)-1607.
                            (ii) The Nation Takes Form: 1607-1820.
                            (iii) The Great In-Gathering: 1820-1924.
                            (iv) Still They Come: 1924-present.
                    (C) A review of possible Museum components, 
                including--
                            (i) a Center for the Advanced Study of the 
                        American People;
                            (ii) a National Ancestry Center;
                            (iii) an Archive and Library of American 
                        Immigration and Migration;
                            (iv) an Education Resource Center;
                            (v) a National Museum of the American 
                        People Film Center;
                            (vi) a Peopling of America Center;
                            (vii) Museum collections;
                            (viii) public programs;
                            (ix) special exhibitions;
                            (x) traveling exhibitions;
                            (xi) Museum bookstores and gift shops; and
                            (xii) Museum food venues.
                    (D) The availability and cost of collections to be 
                acquired and housed in the Museum.
                    (E) Possible locations for the Museum in 
                Washington, DC, and its environs, to be considered in 
                consultation with the National Capital Planning 
                Commission, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the 
                National Park Service.
                    (F) The governance and organizational structure 
                from which the Museum should operate, including whether 
                the Museum should be part of the Smithsonian 
                Institution.
                    (G) The cost of constructing, operating, and 
                maintaining the Museum.
            (3) Legislation to carry out plan of action.--Based on the 
        recommendations from the study under paragraph (1) and the 
        report submitted under paragraph (2), the Commission shall 
        submit for consideration to the Committee on Transportation and 
        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, the Committee 
        on House Administration of the House of Representatives, the 
        Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, the 
        Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, 
        the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, 
        and the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate recommendations for a 
        legislative plan of action to create and construct the Museum.
            (4) Fundraising plan.--The Commission shall develop a 
        fundraising plan for supporting the creation and maintenance of 
        the Museum through contributions by the American people and 
        other sources.
    (d) Powers of the Commission.--
            (1) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit 
        and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and 
        receive such evidence as the Commission considers advisable to 
        carry out this Act.
            (2) Information from federal agencies.--The Commission may 
        secure directly from any Federal department or agency such 
        information as the Commission considers necessary to carry out 
        this Act. Upon request of the Chair of the Commission, the head 
        of such department or agency shall furnish such information to 
        the Commission.
            (3) Postal services.--The Commission may use the United 
        States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions 
        as other departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
            (4) Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of 
        gifts or donations of services or property.
    (e) Commission Personnel Matters.--
            (1) Compensation of members.--Each member of the Commission 
        who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Government 
        shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of 
        the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the 
        Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States 
        Code, for each day (including travel time) during which such 
        member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the 
        Commission. All members of the Commission who are officers or 
        employees of the United States shall serve without compensation 
        in addition to that received for their services as officers or 
        employees of the United States.
            (2) Travel expenses.--The members of the Commission shall 
        be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies 
        under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
        Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business 
        in the performance of services for the Commission.
            (3) Staff.--
                    (A) In general.--The Chair of the Commission may, 
                without regard to the civil service laws and 
                regulations, appoint and terminate an executive 
                director and such other additional personnel as may be 
                necessary to enable the Commission to perform its 
                duties. The employment of an executive director shall 
                be subject to confirmation by the Commission.
                    (B) Compensation.--The Chair of the Commission may 
                fix the compensation of the executive director and 
                other personnel without regard to chapter 51 and 
                subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States 
                Code, relating to classification of positions and 
                General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay 
                for the executive director and other personnel may not 
                exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive 
                Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
                    (C) Personnel as federal employees.--
                            (i) In general.--The executive director and 
                        any personnel of the Commission who are 
                        employees shall be employees under section 2105 
                        of title 5, United States Code, for purposes of 
                        chapters 63, 81, 83, 84, 85, 87, 89, 89A, 89B, 
                        and 90 of that title.
                            (ii) Members of commission.--Clause (i) 
                        shall not be construed to apply to members of 
                        the Commission.
            (4) Detail of government employees.--Any Federal Government 
        employee may be detailed to the Commission without 
        reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or 
        loss of civil service status or privilege.
            (5) Procurement of temporary and intermittent services.--
        The Chair of the Commission may procure temporary and 
        intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
        States Code, at rates for individuals which do not exceed the 
        daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for 
        level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such 
        title.
    (f) Termination of the Commission.--The Commission shall terminate 
90 days after the date on which the Commission submits its 
recommendations under subsection (c)(3).
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for carrying out the activities of the Commission 
$3,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of 
this Act. Such amount shall remain available until expended.
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