SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT

On 2026-05-21, Representative Laurel M. Lee (R-FL-15) delivered a floor speech titled "SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT" in the House.

SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 87 (Thursday, May 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 87 (Thursday, May 21, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3692-H3699] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1300, I call up the bill (H.R. 1329) to permit the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum to be located within the Reserve of the National Mall, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1300, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on House Administration, printed in this bill, modified by the amendment printed in part B of House Report 119-653, is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read. The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows: H.R. 1329 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''. [[Page H3693]] 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 a Range 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 a Range 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 a range 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 a range 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.). The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debated for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration, or their respective designees. The gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle) will each control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil). {time} 1320 General Leave Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin? There was no objection. Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1329, the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act, introduced by my colleague, Representative Malliotakis, from New York. This year, our Nation marks its 250th birthday. It has been 250 years since we declared independence. As we celebrate this milestone, I think it is all the more worthy that we pass this bill and begin construction of the museum dedicated to the history of American women. Throughout our history, women have played a pivotal role in so many of our Nation's most celebrated achievements and innovations. In my home State of Wisconsin, three women participated in the famous 1854 meeting at the Ripon schoolhouse, where the Republican Party was born. Mr. Speaker, I was proud to support previous legislation authorizing the creation of this museum. Today's bill takes the important next step by designating an exact location on The National Mall. Additionally, it creates guardrails to ensure this museum does not represent history in a partisan way. I thank Representative Malliotakis for her work on this bill and her continued support to get this to the floor. She has been tenacious in a great way to get us to this spot. I thank her for her hard work. Mr. Speaker, I urge 

Referenced legislation: HRES1300, HRES1300, HR1329, HR1330