Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 4132 To establish the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 30, 2019 Ms. MENG (for herself, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. COX of California, Mr. ROUDA, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. HAALAND, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. CISNEROS, Mr. CASE, and Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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 A BILL To establish the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commission to Study 4 the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pa- 5 cific American History and Culture Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Aug 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4132.IH H4132 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 4132 IH SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 1 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Commis- 2 sion to Study the Potential Creation of a National Mu- 3 seum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture 4 (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 5 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be com- 6 posed of 8 members, of whom— 7 (1) 2 members shall be appointed by the major- 8 ity leader of the Senate; 9 (2) 2 members shall be appointed by the Speak- 10 er of the House of Representatives; 11 (3) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor- 12 ity leader of the Senate; and 13 (4) 2 members shall be appointed by the minor- 14 ity leader of the House of Representatives. 15 (c) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members of the Commission 16 shall be appointed to the Commission from among individ- 17 uals, or representatives of institutions or entities, who pos- 18 sess— 19 (1)(A) a demonstrated commitment to the re- 20 search, study, or promotion of Asian Pacific Amer- 21 ican history, art, political or economic status, or cul- 22 ture; and 23 (B)(i) expertise in museum administration; 24 (ii) expertise in fundraising for nonprofit or cul- 25 tural institutions; 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Aug 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4132.IH H4132 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 4132 IH (iii) experience in the study and teaching of 1 Asian Pacific American history; 2 (iv) experience in studying the issue of the rep- 3 resentation of Asian Pacific Americans in art, life, 4 history, and culture at the Smithsonian Institution; 5 or 6 (v) extensive experience in public or elected 7 service; 8 (2) experience in the administration of, or the 9 planning for, the establishment of, museums; or 10 (3) experience in the planning, design, or con- 11 struction of museum facilities. 12 (d) DEADLINE FOR INITIAL APPOINTMENT.—The 13 initial members of the Commission shall be appointed not 14 later than the date that is 90 days after the date of enact- 15 ment of this Act. 16 (e) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission— 17 (1) shall not affect the powers of the Commis- 18 sion; and 19 (2) shall be filled in the same manner as the 20 original appointment was made. 21 (f) CHAIRPERSON.—The Commission shall, by major- 22 ity vote of all of the members, select 1 member of the 23 Commission to serve as the Chairperson of the Commis- 24 sion. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Aug 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4132.IH H4132 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HR 4132 IH SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 1 (a) REPORTS.— 2 (1) PLAN OF ACTION.—The Commission shall 3 submit to the President and Congress a report con- 4 taining the recommendations of the Commission 5 with respect to a plan of action for the establishment 6 and maintenance of a National Museum of Asian 7 Pacific American History and Culture in Wash- 8 ington, DC (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 9 ‘‘Museum’’). 10 (2) REPORT ON ISSUES.—The Commission shall 11 submit to the President and Congress a report that 12 addresses the following issues: 13 (A) The availability and cost of collections 14 to be acquired and housed in the Museum. 15 (B) The impact of the Museum on regional 16 Asian Pacific American history-related muse- 17 ums. 18 (C) Potential locations for the Museum in 19 Washington, DC, and its environs. 20 (D) Whether the Museum should be part 21 of the Smithsonian Institution. 22 (E) The governance and organizational 23 structure from which the Museum should oper- 24 ate. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Aug 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4132.IH H4132 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •HR 4132 IH (F) Best practices for engaging Asian Pa- 1 cific Americans in the development and design 2 of the Museum. 3 (G) The cost of constructing, operating, 4 and maintaining the Museum. 5 (3) DEADLINE.—The reports required under 6 paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be submitted not later 7 than the date that is 18 months after the date of 8 the first meeting of the Commission. 9 (b) FUNDRAISING PLAN.— 10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall de- 11 velop a fundraising plan to support the establish- 12 ment, operation, and maintenance of the Museum 13 through contributions from the public. 14 (2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing the fund- 15 raising plan under paragraph (1), the Commission 16 shall consider issues relating to funding the oper- 17 ations and maintenance of the Museum in perpetuity 18 without reliance on appropriations of Federal funds. 19 (3) INDEPENDENT REVIEW.—The Commission 20 shall obtain an independent review of the viability of 21 the plan developed under paragraph (1) and such re- 22 view shall include an analysis as to whether the plan 23 is likely to achieve the level of resources necessary 24 to fund the construction of the Museum and the op- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Aug 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4132.IH H4132 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 6 •HR 4132 IH erations and maintenance of the Museum in per- 1 petuity without reliance on appropriations of Federal 2 funds. 3 (4) SUBMISSION.—The Commission shall sub- 4 mit the plan developed under paragraph (1) and the 5 review conducted under paragraph (3) to the Com- 6 mittees on Transportation and Infrastructure, 7 House Administration, Natural Resources, and Ap- 8 propriations of the House of Representatives and the 9 Committees on Rules and Administration, Energy 10 and Natural Resources, and Appropriations of the 11 Senate. 12 (c) LEGISLATION TO CARRY OUT PLAN OF AC- 13 TION.—Based on the recommendations contained in the 14 report submitted under paragraphs (1) and (2) of sub- 15 section (a), the Commission shall submit for consideration 16 to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, 17 House Administration, Natural Resources, and Appropria- 18 tions of the House of Representatives and the Committees 19 on Rules and Administration, Energy and Natural Re- 20 sources, and Appropriations of the Senate recommenda- 21 tions for a legislative plan of action to establish and con- 22 struct the Museum. 23 (d) NATIONAL CONFERENCE.—Not later than 18 24 months after the date on which the initial members of the 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Aug 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4132.IH H4132 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 7 •HR 4132 IH Commission are appointed under section 2, the Commis- 1 sion may, in carrying out the duties of the Commission 2 under this section, convene a national conference relating 3 to the Museum, to be comprised of individuals committed 4 to the advancement of the life, art, history, and culture 5 of Asian Pacific Americans. 6 SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 7 (a) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Commis- 8 sion who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Gov- 9 ernment may receive compensation for each day on which 10 the member is engaged in the work of the Commission, 11 at a daily rate to be determined by the Secretary of the 12 Interior. 13 (b) FACILITIES AND SUPPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF 14 THE INTERIOR.—The Department of the Interior shall 15 provide from funds appropriated for this purpose adminis- 16 trative services, facilities, and funds necessary for the per- 17 formance of the Commission’s functions. These funds shall 18 be made available prior to any meetings of the Commis- 19 sion. 20 (c) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—A member of the Commis- 21 sion shall be allowed a per diem allowance for travel ex- 22 penses, at rates consistent with those authorized under 23 subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Aug 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4132.IH H4132 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 8 •HR 4132 IH (d) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 1 Commission shall not be subject to the Federal Advisory 2 Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 3 SEC. 5. TERMINATION. 4 The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 5 30 days after the date on which the final versions of the 6 reports required under section 3 are submitted. 7 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 8 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro- 9 priated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 10 Act. 11 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts made available under 12 subsection (a) shall remain available until expended, or 13 until the termination of the Commission, whichever comes 14 first. 15 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Aug 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H4132.IH H4132 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS