[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 160 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 160

Recognizing the opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African 
  American History and Culture, the only national museum dedicated to 
        documenting African American life, history, and culture.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 22, 2016

Mr. Lewis (for himself, Ms. Adams, Ms. Bass, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Becerra, 
    Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of 
  Pennsylvania, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Ms. Brown of 
  Florida, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Carson of 
Indiana, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Cartwright, Ms. Castor of Florida, 
 Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Ms. Clarke of 
New York, Mr. Clay, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Collins of 
  Georgia, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Cummings, Mr. 
Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Delaney, Mr. 
   Deutch, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Edwards, Mr. Engel, Mr. 
 Foster, Ms. Fudge, Ms. Gabbard, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Al Green of Texas, 
   Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Hahn, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Heck of 
 Washington, Mr. Himes, Mr. Honda, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Israel, Ms. Jackson 
 Lee, Mr. Jeffries, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Johnson of 
 Georgia, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Keating, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Kildee, 
     Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Mr. Langevin, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Larsen of 
   Washington, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. Lee, Mr. Loebsack, Mr. 
Lowenthal, Mr. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of 
    New York, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Ms. Matsui, Ms. 
McCollum, Mr. McGovern, Mr. McNerney, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Neal, Mr. Meeks, 
Ms. Moore, Mr. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Norton, 
  Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Payne, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Peters, Ms. Plaskett, Mr. 
  Pocan, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Richmond, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Ms. 
Linda T. Sanchez of California, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Schrader, Mr. David 
  Scott of Georgia, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Sewell of 
   Alabama, Ms. Sinema, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. 
  Swalwell of California, Mr. Thompson of California, Ms. Titus, Mr. 
    Tonko, Mrs. Torres, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Veasey, Ms. 
Wasserman Schultz, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Wilson of Florida, and Mr. 
   Yarmuth) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
           referred to the Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African 
  American History and Culture, the only national museum dedicated to 
        documenting African American life, history, and culture.

Whereas the public and congressional efforts to build a public, national tribute 
        to African Americans began over 100 years ago;
Whereas it took bipartisan and bicameral support over many years and sessions of 
        Congress for legislation to establish the National Museum of African 
        American History and Culture to overcome procedural and political 
        hurdles;
Whereas, on November 21, 1985, Representative Mickey Leland from Texas revived 
        the effort and was joined by thirteen Members of Congress in introducing 
        a bill to establish an American Slavery Memorial Council and to provide 
        for the construction of a permanent museum memorializing the victims of 
        slavery;
Whereas Representative John Lewis continued the effort by introducing the 
        National African American Heritage Museum and Memorial Act on September 
        14, 1988;
Whereas additional key congressional proponents of the legislative efforts 
        included Senators Paul Martin Simon, Samuel Brownback, Christopher Dodd, 
        and Max Cleland, and Representatives William Lacy ``Bill'' Clay, Sr., 
        Jack Kingston, Julius Caesar ``J.C.'' Watts, Jr., and members of the 
        Congressional Black Caucus;
Whereas following unanimous congressional approval, Public Law 107-106, the 
        National Museum of African American History and Culture Plan for Action 
        Presidential Commission Act of 2001, was signed into law on December 28, 
        2001;
Whereas Public Law 107-106 established a 23-member Commission required to 
        develop a report with a proposed plan of action for the establishment 
        and maintenance of the National Museum of African American History and 
        Culture in Washington, DC;
Whereas after extensive study and national outreach, the Commission released two 
        reports to the President and Congress: The Time Has Come, published in 
        April 2003, and the Final Site Report, submitted in September 2003;
Whereas upon receipt of the Commission's report, Congress conducted a timely 
        review of the recommendations and passed the National Museum of African 
        American History and Culture Act, which was signed into law by President 
        George W. Bush on December 16, 2003;
Whereas in 2004, the Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents appointed 19 
        members to serve on the National Museum of African American History and 
        Culture Council;
Whereas in January 2005, the Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents selected 
        the Museum's location to be on the National Mall and near the Washington 
        Monument;
Whereas, on March 14, 2005, Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III was appointed as the 
        Founding Director of the National Museum of African American History and 
        Culture;
Whereas the preliminary planning for the museum building resulted in the May 
        2008 ``Environmental and Historic Preservation Report'';
Whereas following a global competition, lead designer David Adjaye and lead 
        architect Philip Freelon, along with the architectural team Freelon 
        Adjaye Bond/Smith Group, were selected to design the Museum in 2009;
Whereas the Museum's design pays homage to the intersection of African, 
        American, and Diaspora history and traditions, as the main entrance is 
        intended to be a welcoming porch, and the exterior's metal lattice is 
        inspired by the Yoruban Caryatid, a traditional wooden column featuring 
        a crown or corona at its peak;
Whereas President Barack Obama participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for 
        the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which 
        occurred on February 22, 2012;
Whereas the Museum has collected more than 37,000 artifacts representing African 
        American and the Diaspora's families and communities; military 
        servicemembers; religious and faith traditions; regional American 
        artifacts; clothing and dress; education, literature, music, 
        photography, and art; and slavery, segregation, and the Civil Rights 
        Movement;
Whereas the 400,000-square-foot Museum is scheduled to officially open on 
        September 24, 2016, and will be free and accessible to all visitors;
Whereas there is significant national and international enthusiasm and interest 
        regarding the National Museum of African American History and Culture's 
        opening;
Whereas in August 2016, upon being made available to the public, more than 
        28,000 opening weekend tickets to visit the Museum were quickly claimed, 
        and when the Smithsonian responded by extending the Museum's hours and 
        adding 80,000 more free, timed-entry passes, these too were also almost 
        immediately reserved;
Whereas throughout the Museum's opening weekend, there will be a free, public, 
        interactive, arts, music and culture festival, Freedom Sounds: A 
        Community Celebration; and
Whereas upon opening, the National Museum of African American History and 
        Culture will be the only national museum devoted exclusively to the 
        documentation of African American life, history, and culture: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) commends the leadership, staff, scholars, designers, 
        construction workers, volunteers, charter members, and donors 
        who worked tirelessly to realize the venerable dream of opening 
        the National Museum of African American History and Culture; 
        and
            (2) encourages all citizens and residents of and visitors 
        to the United States to visit the Smithsonian's National Museum 
        of African American History and Culture when touring the 
        Nation's Capital.
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