[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1841 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1841

     To provide a site for the National Women's History Museum in 
       Washington, District of Columbia, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 20, 2007

   Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Bennett, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. 
    Cantwell, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Dole, Ms. 
 Klobuchar, Ms. Landrieu, Mrs. Lincoln, Mrs. McCaskill, Ms. Mikulski, 
Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Snowe, Ms. Stabenow, and Mr. Voinovich) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
        Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To provide a site for the National Women's History Museum in 
       Washington, District of Columbia, 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 Women's History Museum Act 
of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the National Women's History Museum was established--
                    (A) to research and present information relating to 
                the historic contributions that women have made to all 
                aspects of human endeavor; and
                    (B) to explore and present in a fair and balanced 
                way information relating to the contributions that 
                women have made to the United States through the 
                various roles that women have assumed in families and 
                in society;
            (2) in March 1999, the President's Commission on the 
        Celebration of Women in American History--
                    (A) concluded that ``efforts to implement an 
                appropriate celebration of women's history in the next 
                millennium should include the designation of a focal 
                point for women's history in our nation's capital . . 
                .''; and
                    (B) cited the efforts of the National Women's 
                History Museum toward the achievement of that goal;
            (3) through the establishment of a national reference 
        center, the National Women's History Museum would be able to 
        collect and preserve documents, publications, and research 
        relating to women;
            (4) through the promotion of imaginative educational 
        approaches that are designed to enhance the understanding and 
        appreciation of historic contributions by women, the National 
        Women's History Museum would foster educational programs 
        relating to the historical contributions that were made by 
        women to society;
            (5) the National Women's History Museum would publicly 
        display temporary and permanent exhibits that illustrate, 
        interpret, and demonstrate the historic contributions of women;
            (6) the National Women's History Museum would attract 
        approximately 1,500,000 visitors to the District of Columbia 
        each year; and
            (7) the National Women's History Museum would promote 
        economic activity in the District of Columbia by--
                    (A) creating jobs;
                    (B) increasing visitor spending on hotels, meals, 
                and transportation; and
                    (C) generating tax revenue for the District of 
                Columbia.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of General Services.
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the National 
        Capital Planning Commission.
            (3) Federal triangle development area.--The term ``Federal 
        Triangle development area'' has the meaning given the term 
        ``development area'' in section 6711 of title 40, United States 
        Code.
            (4) Museum sponsor.--The term ``Museum Sponsor'' means the 
        National Women's History Museum, Inc., that--
                    (A) is a nonprofit organization, as described in 
                section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; 
                and
                    (B) in 1996, was incorporated in the District of 
                Columbia.
            (5) Net proceeds.--The term ``net proceeds'' means the 
        amount obtained by subtracting--
                    (A) the sum of all costs incurred by the 
                Administrator relating to the occupancy agreement; from
                    (B) the sum of all amounts received by the 
                Administrator relating the occupancy agreement.
            (6) Old post office.--The term ``Old Post Office'' means 
        the building and surrounding land that is--
                    (A) commonly known as the ``Old Post Office''; and
                    (B) located--
                            (i) in Washington, District of Columbia;
                            (ii) at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.; and
                            (iii) in the northwest corner of a parcel 
                        of land bounded by--
                                    (I) Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.;
                                    (II) 10th Street, N.W.;
                                    (III) Constitution Avenue, N.W.; 
                                and
                                    (IV) 12th Street, N.W.
            (7) Pavilion annex.--The term ``Pavilion Annex'' means the 
        building and surrounding land that is--
                    (A) commonly known as the ``Pavilion Annex''; and
                    (B) located--
                            (i) in Washington, District of Columbia;
                            (ii) adjacent to the Old Post Office;
                            (iii) on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., to the 
                        east of 11th Street N.W.; and
                            (iv) on a parcel of land bounded on 3 sides 
                        by buildings operated by the Internal Revenue 
                        Service.

SEC. 4. OCCUPANCY AGREEMENT.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Administrator shall enter into an occupancy agreement with the Museum 
Sponsor to allow the Museum Sponsor to locate a National Women's 
History Museum at the Pavilion Annex.
    (b) Term of Occupancy Agreement.--
            (1) Length of term.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                term of the occupancy agreement shall be negotiated 
                between the Administrator and the Museum Sponsor.
                    (B) Maximum term.--The term of the occupancy 
                agreement shall extend for a period of not more than 99 
                years.
            (2) Termination.--The occupancy agreement shall permit the 
        Administrator to terminate the occupancy agreement if, as 
        determined by the Administrator, the Pavilion Annex is placed 
        at risk by--
                    (A) casualty;
                    (B) financial nonperformance; or
                    (C) any other appropriate circumstance, as 
                determined by the Administrator.
    (c) Rent.--
            (1) In general.--The Museum Sponsor shall pay to the 
        Administrator rent in an amount equal to the fair market rental 
        value of the Pavilion Annex, as determined by a method 
        described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Determination of fair market rental value.--The fair 
        market rental value of the Pavilion Annex shall be determined 
        in a manner consistent with--
                    (A) an agreement negotiated between the 
                Administrator and the Museum Sponsor; or
                    (B) an appraisal of the Pavilion Annex, in 
                accordance with instructions agreed to by the 
                Administrator and the Museum Sponsor.
    (d) Operation of Adjacent Real Property and Buildings.--At the 
discretion of the Administrator, the occupancy agreement shall include 
terms and conditions that--
            (1) regardless of use, allow for the unimpeded operation 
        (including the provision of security) of any adjacent real 
        property or building; and
            (2) to meet the operational requirements of any adjacent 
        real property or building, reserve the rights of the 
        Administrator to a certain quantity of square footage in the 
        Pavilion Annex.
    (e) Initial Renovation and Modification.--
            (1) In general.--Any activity relating to the renovation or 
        modification of the Pavilion Annex shall--
                    (A) be the sole responsibility of the Museum 
                Sponsor;
                    (B) be carried out by the Museum Sponsor, in 
                consultation with the Administrator, using only non-
                Federal funds;
                    (C) be commenced not later than 5 years after the 
                date on which the Administrator has entered into an 
                occupancy agreement with the Museum Sponsor under 
                section 4(a);
                    (D) be carried out consistent with a master plan 
                that is--
                            (i) developed by the Museum Sponsor; and
                            (ii) approved by the Administrator;
                    (E) be carried out in accordance with all 
                applicable laws (including regulations) and ordinances; 
                and
                    (F) as determined by the Administrator, enhance or 
                improve the Pavilion Annex consistent with the 
                requirements of--
                            (i) the National Women's History Museum;
                            (ii) the Old Post Office;
                            (iii) any adjacent real property or 
                        building; and
                            (iv) the Federal Triangle development area.
    (f) Operation and Maintenance.--
            (1) Responsibility.--Until the date on which the occupancy 
        agreement is terminated, the Museum Sponsor shall be solely 
        responsible for the operation and maintenance (including 
        repairs and alterations) of the Pavilion Annex.
            (2) Maintenance obligations.--To ensure that the Pavilion 
        Annex is maintained in a manner consistent with the prominent 
        location of the Pavilion Annex, the Museum Sponsor shall 
        promptly perform any necessary exterior maintenance, as 
        determined by the Administrator.
    (g) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The occupancy agreement shall 
contain such additional terms and conditions that the Administrator 
considers to be appropriate.
    (h) Relationship to Other Laws.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the authority of 
        the Administrator under this section shall not be subject to--
                    (A) section 525 or 549 of title 40, United States 
                Code; or
                    (B) any other Federal law.
            (2) Exception.--The authority of the Administrator under 
        this section shall be subject to any Federal law relating to 
        environmental or historical preservation.
    (i) Authority of Commission.--Nothing in this Act--
            (1) limits the authority of the Commission; or
            (2) affects the authority of the Commission relating to the 
        development of the Federal Triangle development area.

SEC. 5. FEDERAL PARTICIPATION.

    (a) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of any cost relating 
to the establishment, construction, maintenance, or operation of the 
National Women's History Museum shall be 100 percent.
    (b) Use of Private Funds.--The Museum Sponsor shall raise private 
funds to pay for any cost relating to--
            (1) the initial modification and renovation of the Pavilion 
        Annex; and
            (2) the operation and maintenance of the National Women's 
        History Museum, including any service necessary to ensure the 
        preservation and operation of the National Women's History 
        Museum, as determined by the Administrator.
    (c) Improvements.--On the date on which the occupancy agreement 
terminates, any improvement to the Pavilion Annex shall be considered 
to be the property of the United States.

SEC. 6. USE OF NET PROCEEDS.

    The Administrator shall deposit any net proceeds in the Federal 
Buildings Fund established under section 592 of title 40, United States 
Code, to be used for the real property capital needs of the General 
Services Administration, in accordance with annual appropriations Acts.

SEC. 7. REPORT.

    (a) In General.--If, on the date that is 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator has not entered into an 
occupancy agreement with the Museum Sponsor under section 4(a), not 
later than 240 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator shall submit a report containing the information 
described in subsection (b) to--
            (1) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
        Affairs of the Senate;
            (2) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
        the House of Representatives; and
            (3) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the 
        House of Representatives.
    (b) Contents.--The report submitted by the Administrator under 
subsection (a) shall contain--
            (1) a summary of any unresolved issue between the 
        Administrator and the Museum Sponsor relating to the occupancy 
        agreement; and
            (2) an analysis of the position of the Administrator 
        relating to any unresolved issue summarized under paragraph 
        (1).
                                 <all>