[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1329 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 538
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1329
[Report No. 119-621, Part I]
To permit the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum to be located
within the Reserve of the National Mall, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 13, 2025
Ms. Malliotakis (for herself, Ms. Chu, Ms. De La Cruz, Mrs. Dingell,
Mr. LaLota, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Fry, Ms. DelBene, Mrs. Miller of West
Virginia, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. Gimenez, Ms. Salinas, Mr.
Lawler, Ms. Scholten, Mr. Issa, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Stauber, Ms.
Sanchez, Mrs. Houchin, Mr. Ruiz, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Bonamici, Mr.
Moolenaar, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Mr. Doggett, Mr.
Moylan, Mr. Espaillat, Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Mr. Barr,
Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Garcia of Illinois,
Mr. Newhouse, Ms. Bynum, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. Lieu, Ms. Jacobs,
Mrs. Sykes, Mr. Rulli, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Amodei of Nevada, Ms.
McClellan, Mr. Langworthy, Mrs. Ramirez, Ms. Tenney, Ms. Pingree, Mr.
James, Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr.
Vargas, Mr. Carey, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Van
Drew, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Owens, Mr. LaMalfa,
Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Meuser, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Pfluger,
Mr. Mast, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Rouzer, Ms. Meng, Mr. Correa, Ms. Clarke
of New York, Mr. Bentz, Mrs. McBath, Ms. DeGette, Ms. Tokuda, and Ms.
Rivas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on
Natural Resources, 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
April 23, 2026
Additional sponsors: Mr. Amo, Mr. Sorensen, Mr. Suozzi, Ms. Stansbury,
Ms. Stevens, Mr. Moore of North Carolina, Mr. Latimer, Ms. Pelosi, Mr.
Shreve, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Mr. Ezell, Mr. Baird, Mr. Thompson of
Pennsylvania, Mrs. McIver, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Alford, Mr. Ryan, Mr.
Carbajal, Ms. King-Hinds, Mr. Tran, Mr. Aguilar, Mr. Huizenga, Mr.
Kean, Mrs. Cammack, Mr. Nunn of Iowa, Mr. Gottheimer, Ms. Greene of
Georgia, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, Ms. Lee of Florida, Mr. Cuellar, Mr.
Wittman, Mr. Vindman, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr.
Jack, Mr. Mackenzie, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Miller of Ohio, Ms. Escobar, Ms.
Houlahan, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mrs. Trahan, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. Moore of
Utah, Ms. Underwood, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Garcia of California, Ms. Adams,
Mr. Panetta, Mr. Bergman, Mr. Smucker, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr.
Turner of Ohio, Mr. Downing, Mr. Flood, Mrs. McClain, Mrs. Hinson, Mr.
Peters, Mr. Smith of Missouri, Ms. Maloy, Mr. Feenstra, Mr. Burchett,
Mr. McCaul, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Velazquez,
Mr. McGuire, Ms. Scanlon, Mrs. Foushee, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr.
Moskowitz, Ms. Jayapal, Ms. Pou, Ms. Balint, Ms. Titus, Mr. Simpson,
Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Bera, Mr. Messmer, Mr. Baumgartner, Mr.
Begich, Ms. Friedman, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Carter of Georgia,
Ms. Pressley, Mr. Harrigan, Mr. Carson, Mr. Ogles, Ms. Williams of
Georgia, Ms. Strickland, Ms. McBride, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Ansari, Mr. Crow,
Ms. Gillen, Mr. Landsman, Mr. McDowell, Mr. Van Epps, Ms. Randall, Mr.
Mfume, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Barrett, Ms. Schrier, Mr.
Ivey, Ms. Kaptur, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Ms.
Ross, Mr. Thanedar, Mrs. Fletcher, Ms. Plaskett, Mr. Pocan, Ms.
DeLauro, Mr. Takano, Mr. Evans of Colorado, Mr. Bresnahan, Mr.
DesJarlais, Mr. Bean of Florida, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Bost, Ms. McDonald
Rivet, Mr. LaHood, Mrs. McClain Delaney, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Case, Mr.
Soto, Mr. Crawford, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mrs. Luna, Mrs. Watson
Coleman, Ms. Simon, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Mrs. Grijalva, Mr. Hill of
Arkansas, Mr. Min, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Casten, Mr. Wied, Mr. McCormick,
Ms. Davids of Kansas, Ms. Morrison, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Ms. Hoyle of
Oregon, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Walberg, Mr. Fulcher, Mr.
Sessions, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Kennedy of Utah, Mr. Mannion, and Mr.
Loudermilk
April 23, 2026
Deleted sponsor: Ms. Greene of Georgia (added April 2, 2025; deleted
June 26, 2025)
April 23, 2026
Reported from the Committee on House Administration with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
April 23, 2026
Committee on Natural Resources discharged; committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on
February 13, 2025]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To permit the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum to be located
within the Reserve of the National Mall, 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 ``Smithsonian American Women's History
Museum Act''.
SEC. 2. SITE OF SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM.
(a) Authorizing Site Within Reserve of National Mall.--Section
107(d) of division T of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (20
U.S.C. 80t-5(d)) is amended by striking ``, except that'' and all that
follows and inserting a period.
(b) Site Designation.--Section 107(a) of division T of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (20 U.S.C. 80t-5(a)) is amended
to read as follows:
``(a) In General.--The site for the Museum is hereby designated as
the South Monument site, located on the National Mall, bordered by 14th
Street Southwest, Jefferson Drive Southwest, Raoul Wallenberg Place
Southwest, and Independence Avenue Southwest, except that the President
may designate an alternative site for the Museum within 180 days of the
date of the enactment of this subsection.''.
(c) Use of Site.--
(1) Transfer.--Section 107(b) of division T of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (20 U.S.C. 80t-5(b)) is
amended to read as follows:
``(b) Transfer of Site.--As soon as practicable after the date of
the enactment of this subsection, the head of the Federal agency or
entity shall transfer to the Smithsonian Institution its administrative
jurisdiction over the land described in subsection (a).''.
(2) Building requirements.--Section 107(c) of division T of
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (20 U.S.C. 80t-5(c))
is amended to read as follows:
``(c) Building.--
``(1) In general.--The Board of Regents, in consultation
with the head of the Federal agency or entity and the council
established under section 104 and with the approval of the
Commission of Fine Arts, National Capital Planning Commission,
the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, and the head
of the Federal agency or entity, may plan, design, and
construct a building for the Museum, which shall be located at
the site described in subsection (a).
``(2) Criteria.--In considering site and design proposals,
the Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning
Commission, the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission,
and the head of the Federal agency or entity shall be guided
by, but not limited to the following criteria:
``(A) The Museum shall be located so that to the
maximum extent practicable, it protects the open space,
existing public use, and cultural and natural
resources.
``(B) The Museum shall be constructed of durable
material suitable to the outdoor environment.
``(C) Landscape features of the Museum shall be
compatible with the climate.
``(D) The National Capital Planning Commission and
the Commission of Fine Arts may develop such criteria
or guidelines specific to each site that are mutually
agreed upon to ensure that the design of the Museum
carries out the purposes of this section.''.
(3) Expenses.--Section 107 of division T of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (20 U.S.C. 80t-5) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Expenses.--The Smithsonian Institution shall reimburse within
60 days any and all costs incurred by the head of the Federal agency or
entity for implementation of any recommendations resulting from the
approval process described in subsection (c).''.
(d) Museum Purpose.--Section 103 of division T of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (20 U.S.C. 80t-1) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(c) Scope of Mission.--
``(1) In general.--The Museum shall be dedicated to
preserving, researching, and presenting the history,
achievements, and lived experiences of biological women in the
United States.
``(2) Prohibition.--The Museum may not identify, present,
describe, or otherwise depict any biological male as a
female.''.
(e) Ensuring Diversity of Political Viewpoints and Authentic
Experiences.--Section 104(b)(4) of division T of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (20 U.S.C. 80t-2(b)(4)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(4) Ensuring diversity of political viewpoints and
authentic experiences.--
``(A) In general.--The Council shall ensure that
the exhibits and programs of the Museum reflect, to the
extent practicable, an equal representation of the
diversity of the political viewpoints and authentic
experiences held by women in the United States,
accurately and comprehensively representing the varied
cultures, histories, events, and values held by such
women.
``(B) Specific requirements.--In carrying out its
duties, the Council shall ensure that it seeks and
utilizes to its maximum ability guidance from a broad
array of knowledgeable and respected sources reflecting
the diversity of the political viewpoints and authentic
experiences held by women in the United States, and
shall seek such guidance for both the creation and
substantial revision of exhibits and programs.
``(C) Definitions.--In this paragraph--
``(i) the term `broad array' means a range
of experts and publications that represent the
broad spectrum of communities of women, to
include varied viewpoints, political
ideologies, cultures, and lived experiences in
the United States; and
``(ii) the term `knowledgeable and
respected source' means an individual who has
gained through education, publication, or
witnessing an important or historical event,
the ability to advise on at least one unique
viewpoint or experience of a particular
community of women in the United States, and
whose knowledge has been relied upon by a
notable segment of that community for
education, heritage preservation, or historical
purposes, and includes the work of such an
individual which reflects such ability and
knowledge.''.
(f) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary
of the Smithsonian shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources
of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate, the Committee on House Administration of the
House of Representatives, the Committee on Rules and Administration of
the Senate, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the
House of Representatives, the Committee on Appropriations of the House
of Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a
report on actions taken by the Director of the Smithsonian American
Women's History Museum and the Council of the Museum to comply with the
requirements of the amendments made by subsection (f), including a
description of actions taken with respect to substantial revisions of
current exhibits and programs as well the planning of future exhibits
and programs.
(g) Effective Date.--This section and the amendments made by this
section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of title I of
division T of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (20 U.S.C. 80t
et seq.).
Union Calendar No. 538
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1329
[Report No. 119-621, Part I]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To permit the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum to be located
within the Reserve of the National Mall, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
April 23, 2026
Reported from the Committee on House Administration with an amendment
April 23, 2026
Committee on Natural Resources discharged; committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed