[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1868 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1868

    To establish within the Smithsonian Institution the Smithsonian 
            American Latino Museum, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 15, 2011

 Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Reid, Mr. Rubio, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. 
Schumer, Mr. Casey, Mr. Akaka, Mrs. Hagan, and Mr. Udall of New Mexico) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                 Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To establish within the Smithsonian Institution the Smithsonian 
            American Latino Museum, 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 Latino Museum 
Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF MUSEUM.

    There is established within the Smithsonian Institution a museum to 
be known as the ``Smithsonian American Latino Museum''.

SEC. 3. LOCATION AND AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) Arts and Industries Building.--The Arts and Industries Building 
of the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall at 900 
Jefferson Drive, Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia, including 
a new underground annex facility, is designated as the location of the 
Smithsonian American Latino Museum.
    (b) Planning and Construction.--The Board of Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution, in consultation with the Secretary of the 
Interior, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital 
Planning Commission, and with other appropriate Federal and local 
agencies, is authorized to prepare plans, design, renovate, 
rehabilitate, and construct the Smithsonian American Latino Museum 
facility, as referred to in the May 2011 Report to Congress of the 
Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the 
American Latino.
    (c) Schedule and Funding.--
            (1) In general.--The Board of Regents is authorized to 
        prepare a plan of action for the Smithsonian American Latino 
        Museum, and to identify and evaluate viable funding models for 
        both construction and operation of the Museum.
            (2) Timing.--The plan of action authorized in paragraph (1) 
        shall be concluded not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. AGREEMENT WITH SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

    The Secretary of the Interior and the Board of Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution shall enter into an agreement that--
            (1) allows for the planning, design, and construction of 
        the underground annex facility by the Board of Regents, in a 
        manner harmonious with and to protect the open space and visual 
        sightlines of the Mall; and
            (2) provides a timeline for the transfer of administrative 
        jurisdiction, if necessary, of the appropriate subsurface area 
        from the Secretary of the Interior to the Smithsonian 
        Institution.

SEC. 5. CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF COMMISSION.

    In carrying out its duties under this Act, the Board of Regents of 
the Smithsonian Institution shall take into consideration the reports 
and plans submitted by the Commission to Study the Potential Creation 
of a National Museum of the American Latino under section 333 of the 
Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-229; 122 
Stat. 784).
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