[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 706 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 706

   To create a National Museum of Women's History Advisory Committee.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 24, 1999

Ms. Snowe (for herself, Mrs. Hutchison, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. 
 Boxer, Ms. Collins, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Reid, Mr. Biden, Mr. Akaka, 
  Mr. Kerry, Mr. Ashcroft, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. 
Inouye, Mr. Lieberman, and Mr. Sarbanes) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and 
                             Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To create a National Museum of Women's History Advisory Committee.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) A national institution in Washington, District of 
        Columbia, the Nation's Capital, that is dedicated to the 
        heritage of women does not exist.
            (2) In the 34-year period beginning with 1963, only 2 
        exhibits were authorized on women's history at the National 
        Museum of American History.
            (3) Less than 5 percent of the Nation's 2,200 National 
        Historic Landmarks are dedicated to women, and there are only 
        40 public outdoor statues of American women in our Nation.
            (4) The historic contributions of women to civilization and 
        to our Nation have gone unnoted or are misunderstood, leaving a 
        gap in our Nation's historical record.
            (5) Knowledge of one's heritage is critical in developing a 
        personal sense of competence and potential.
            (6) Lack of appreciation for women's historic contributions 
        leads to a lack of value, understanding, and respect for women 
        and girls, and invites discrimination or violence against 
        females.
            (7) A National Museum of Women's History is needed to 
        profile the specific achievements that individual women have 
        made to all aspects of human endeavor, and to explore and 
        celebrate the contributions that women have made in their 
        various roles in family and society.

SEC. 2. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    There is established an advisory committee to be known as the 
National Museum of Women's History Advisory Committee (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Advisory Committee'').

SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Composition.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed of 5 ex 
officio nonvoting members and 21 voting members.
    (b) Ex Officio Nonvoting Members.--The Advisory Committee shall be 
composed of 5 ex officio nonvoting members, of whom--
            (1) 1 member shall be appointed by the President;
            (2) 1 member shall be appointed by the Secretary of the 
        Interior;
            (3) 1 member shall be appointed by the Administrator of 
        General Services;
            (4) 1 member shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
        Commerce; and
            (5) 1 member shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
        Education.
    (c) Voting Members.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed of 21 
voting members, of whom--
            (1) 1 member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House 
        of Representatives, from among the Members of the House of 
        Representatives;
            (2) 1 member shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of 
        the House of Representatives, from among the Members of the 
        House of Representatives;
            (3) 1 member shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of 
        the Senate, from among the Members of the Senate;
            (4) 1 member shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of 
        the Senate, from among the Members of the Senate;
            (5) 5 members shall be appointed by the President of the 
        National Museum of Women's History, Inc., from among the 
        founding members of the Board of Trustees of the National 
        Museum of Women's History, Inc., or the members of such Board; 
        and
            (6) 12 members shall be appointed by the President of the 
        National Museum of Women's History, Inc., in consultation with 
        the Secretary of the Interior, from among private citizens who 
        can contribute to the success of the Advisory Committee as 
        determined by such President--
                    (A) at least 5 of whom shall be appointed after 
                consultation with the Organization of American 
                Historians, the American Studies Association, the 
                American Historical Association, the Women's Studies 
                Association, the American Association of Museums, and 
                other interested academic or professional 
                organizations; and
                    (B) at least 2 of whom shall be appointed on the 
                basis of their expertise in financial matters.
    (d) Timeline.--Members of the Advisory Committee shall be appointed 
not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (e) Limitation.--Effective 30 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and notwithstanding subsections (a) through (d), the failure 
of an appointing authority to appoint a member under subsection (b), or 
under paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) of subsection (c), shall not 
affect the ability of the Advisory Committee to meet and carry out the 
functions of the Advisory Committee under this Act.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Study.--The Advisory Committee shall conduct a thorough study 
of all matters relating to--
            (1) identifying and recommending a site for the National 
        Museum of Women's History in Washington, District of Columbia;
            (2) developing a business plan for the creation and 
        maintenance of the National Museum of Women's History, which 
        shall be funded solely through private contributions by the 
        American people; and
            (3) assisting with respect to the collection and programs 
        of the National Museum of Women's History.
    (b) First Meeting.--The Advisory Committee shall hold the first 
meeting of the Advisory Committee not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act.
    (c) Final Report.--The Advisory Committee shall submit a final 
report to Congress regarding the matters studied under subsection (a) 
not later than 6 months after the date of the first meeting of the 
Advisory Committee.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    From amounts available to the Secretary of the Interior, the 
Secretary shall provide all necessary administrative services, 
facilities, support, and funds necessary for the performance of the 
duties of the Advisory Committee.

SEC. 6. COMPENSATION.

    Each member of the Advisory Committee who is not an officer or 
employee of the Federal Government may receive compensation for each 
day such member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the 
Advisory Committee at a daily rate to be determined by the Secretary of 
the Interior. Such rate shall not exceed the maximum daily rate of pay 
for a position classified above GS-15 under section 5108 of title 5, 
United States Code.

SEC. 7. TRAVEL.

    Members of the Advisory Committee shall be entitled to travel 
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized 
under sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for 
persons in the Federal Government service employed temporarily or 
intermittently.
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