[Senate Hearing 116-339] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] S. Hrg. 116-339 HEARING TO REVIEW S. 959, SMITHSONIAN AMER- ICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT; AND S. 1267, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMER- ICAN LATINO ACT ======================================================================= HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ---------- NOVEMBER 17, 2020 ---------- Printed for the use of the Committee on Rules and Administration [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] Available on http://www.govinfo.gov __________ U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 42-358 WASHINGTON : 2021 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION SECOND SESSION ROY BLUNT, Missouri, Chairman MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California PAT ROBERTS, Kansas CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York RICHARD SHELBY, Alabama RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois TED CRUZ, Texas TOM UDALL, New Mexico SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia MARK R. WARNER, Virginia ROGER WICKER, Mississippi PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont DEB FISCHER, Nebraska ANGUS S. KING, JR., Maine CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, Nevada Fitzhugh Elder IV, Staff Director Lindsey Kerr, Democratic Staff Director C O N T E N T S ---------- Pages Opening Statement of: Hon. Roy Blunt, Chairman, a U.S. Senator from the State of Missouri....................................................... 1 Hon. Amy Klobuchar, a U.S. Senator from the State of Minnesota... 2 Hon. Susan Collins, a U.S. Senator from the State of Maine....... 5 Hon. John Cornyn, a U.S. Senator from the State of Texas......... 7 Hon. Robert Menendez, a U.S. Senator from the State of New Jersey 8 Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution.......... 13 Jane Abraham, Former Chair of the Congressional Commission to Study the Potential for a National Women's History Museum...... 15 Danny Vargas, Chairman, Friends of the National Museum of The American Latino................................................ 17 CiCi Rojas, Chair, The Latino Coalition Foundation............... 19 Eva Longoria Baston, Actor, Activist, and Member of Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of The American Latino................................................ 20 Prepared Statement/Testimony of: Hon. Susan Collins, a U.S. Senator from the State of Maine....... 28 Hon. John Cornyn, a U.S. Senator from the State of Texas......... 30 Hon. Robert Menendez, a U.S. Senator from the State of New Jersey 32 Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution.......... 35 Jane Abraham, Former Chair of the Congressional Commission to Study the Potential for a National Women's History Museum...... 40 Danny Vargas, Chairman, Friends of the National Museum of The American Latino................................................ 42 CiCi Rojas, Chair, The Latino Coalition Foundation............... 47 Eva Longoria Baston, Actor, Activist, and Member of Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of The American Latino................................................ 50 Materials Submitted for the Record: Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia........................................... 53 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from Hispanics in Philanthropy.......... 55 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from Jorge A. Plasencia................. 58 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from the LA Collab...................... 60 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from Latinos for Tennessee.............. 63 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from Lili Gil Valletta, Vice Chair, Friends of the American Latino Museum.......................... 66 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from the League of Minority Voters...... 68 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from the Joes Andres Think Food Group... 70 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from the National Hispanic Medical Association.................................................... 72 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from Senator Gustavo Rivera, New York State Senate................................................... 74 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from TDU Tires USA...................... 78 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from Attorney General Sean D. Reyes, State of Utah.................................................. 80 Blunt--Klobuchar--Letter from the Young Women's Christian Association.................................................... 82 Klobuchar--Letter from Minnesota Counsel on Latino Affairs....... 85 Klobuchar--List of National Latino American Museum Supports in Minnesota...................................................... 86 Klobuchar--Letter from the 3M Corporation........................ 87 Klobuchar--Letter of Support from members of Congress Jose Serrano and Will Hurd.......................................... 89 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from the American Historical Association.................................................... 90 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from Denise Doring VanBuren, President General, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. 91 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from Federally Employed Women......... 92 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from the National Foundation for Women Legislators.................................................... 93 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from the National Coalition for History........................................................ 94 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from the National Conference of Women's Bar Associations....................................... 95 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from the Women's Business Development Center......................................................... 96 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from the Women's Foundation California 97 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from Women in Aerospace............... 98 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from Women in Defense................. 99 Hon. Susan Collins--Letter from the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission..................................................... 100 Hon. Bob Menendez--New York Times Story ``Where is the Smithsonian Museum for American Latinos?''..................... 101 Jane Abraham--Written Remarks for the Presentation of Commission Recommendations to Congress, November 16, 2016................. 104 Jane Abraham Executive Summary on the Report to Congress and the President of the United States................................. 108 Jane Abraham --The American Museum of Women's History, Snapshot Summary of the Congressional Commission's Purpose, Conclusions and Recommendations, November 16, 2016......................... 118 Jane Abraham --The American Museum of Women's History Congressional Commission Report to the President of the United States and Congress, November 16, 2016......................... 121 Jane Abraham --American Women's History Museum, Addendum-- Projections on Museum Capital and Operating Costing, November 12, 2020....................................................... 224 Jane Abraham --Update from the Commissioners of the 2016 U.S. Congressional Commission to Study the Potential for an American Museum of Women's History...................................... 229 Jane Abraham --Opening Letter of the Report to Congress and the President of the United States, November 16, 2016.............. 237 Danny Vargas--Letter from the 3M Corporation..................... 239 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Acevedo Foundation................. 241 Danny Vargas--Letter from LA Collab.............................. 244 Danny Vargas--Letter from the American Jewish Committee.......... 247 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Arizona Latino Legislative Caucus.. 248 Danny Vargas--Letter from Azteca Enterprises, Inc................ 251 Danny Vargas--Letter from Bienvenido............................. 253 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities................... 255 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus...... 258 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute...................................................... 262 Danny Vargas--Letter from City Projects, LLC..................... 263 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Coca-Cola Company.................. 265 Danny Vargas--Letter from former United States Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales............................................ 268 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement.................................................... 270 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility................................................. 273 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Hensel Phelps Construction Co...... 276 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Hershey Company.................... 279 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration....................... 280 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Hispanic 100....................... 288 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation....... 289 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Hispanic Lobbyists Association..... 291 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Hispanic National Bar Association.. 293 Danny Vargas--Letter from JacksonLewis P.C....................... 296 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Latino Community Foundation........ 299 Danny Vargas--Letter from Elianne Ramos, Latino Justice.......... 302 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Latinx Entertainment Industry...... 304 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Latino Business Action Network..... 311 Danny Vargas--Letter from the League of Minority Voters.......... 313 Danny Vargas--Letter from the League of United Latin American Citizens....................................................... 315 Danny Vargas--Letter from Luz Collective Inc..................... 317 Danny Vargas--Letter from Mayor Eric Garcetti, City of Los Angeles........................................................ 319 Danny Vargas--Letter from Meridian Design........................ 321 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Miami Dade College, Office of Cultural Affairs to Ranking Member Klobuchar................... 323 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Miami Dade College, Office of Cultural Affairs to Chairman Blunt............................. 325 Danny Vargas--Letter from Carmen Ronan of Molera Alvarez Government and Public Affairs Firm............................. 327 Danny Vargas--Letter from Ruben Alvarez of Molera Alvarez Government and Public Affairs Firm............................. 329 Danny Vargas--Letter from the National Alliance for Hispanic Health......................................................... 331 Danny Vargas--Letter from the National Latino Evangelical Coalition...................................................... 332 Danny Vargas--Letter from the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials................................ 334 Danny Vargas--Letter from the National Association of Latino Independent Producers.......................................... 336 Danny Vargas--Letter from the National Hispanic Medical Association.................................................... 339 Danny Vargas--Letter from Nikkie Whaley.......................... 341 Danny Vargas--Letter from the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Trade Association..................................... 344 Danny Vargas--Letter from the National Urban League.............. 347 Danny Vargas--Letter from Omega Contracting, Inc................. 348 Danny Vargas--Letter from Jorge Plasenica of Republica Havas..... 350 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Republican National Hispanic Assembly....................................................... 352 Danny Vargas--Letter from Rosa J. Correa, Former National Museum of the American Latino Commissioner............................ 357 Danny Vargas--Letter from Sergio Fernandez de Cordova de Veyga... 359 Danny Vargas--Letter from Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers...................................................... 362 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Latino Coalition................... 364 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Joes Andres Think Food Group....... 367 Danny Vargas--Letter from T-Mobile............................... 369 Danny Vargas--Letter from UnidosUS............................... 371 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Venezuelan Endowment for the Arts.. 373 Danny Vargas--Letter from Voto Latino............................ 375 Danny Vargas--Letter from the We are all Human Foundation........ 377 Danny Vargas--Letter from the Walt Disney Company................ 379 Danny Vargas--Letter from Waste Management....................... 381 Questions Submitted for the Record: Hon. Roy Blunt, Chairman, a U.S. Senator from the State of Missouri to Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution.................................................... 383 Hon. Hyde-Smith, a U.S. Senator from the State of Mississippi to Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution........ 387 Hon. Roy Blunt, Chairman, a U.S. Senator from the State of Missouri to Jane Abraham, Former Chair of the Congressional Commission to Study the Potential for a National Women's History Museum................................................. 390 Hon. Hyde-Smith, a U.S. Senator from the State of Mississippi to Jane Abraham, Former Chair of the Congressional Commission to Study the Potential for a National Women's History Museum...... 391 Hon. Roy Blunt, Chairman, a U.S. Senator from the State of Missouri to Danny Vargas, Chairman, Friends of the National Museum of The American Latino.................................. 393 Hon. Roy Blunt, Chairman, a U.S. Senator from the State of Missouri to CiCi Rojas, Chair, The Latino Coalition Foundation. 396 Hon. Roy Blunt, Chairman, a U.S. Senator from the State of Missouri to Eva Longoria Baston, Actor, Activist, and Member of Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of The American Latino......................................... 398 HEARING TO REVIEW S. 959, SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT; AND S. 1267, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO ACT ---------- TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2020 United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration Washington, DC. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in Room 301, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Roy Blunt, Chairman of the Committee, presiding. Present: Senators Blunt, Klobuchar, Capito, Wicker, Fischer, Feinstein, Udall, Warner, and Cortez Masto. OPENING STATEMENT OF HONORABLE ROY BLUNT, CHAIRMAN, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI Chairman Blunt. The Committee on Rules and Administration will come to order. Good morning. I want to thank my colleagues for attending today's hearing, some virtually, some in person. The same for our witnesses, and we are going to be welcoming them as well. Mr. Lonnie Bunch, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Mrs. Jane Abraham, Former Chair of the Congressional Commission to Study the Potential for a National Women's History Museum, Ms. CiCi Rojas, Chairman of the Latino Coalition, and Mr. Danny Vargas, Chairman of the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino. I want to thank all of them for joining us. We will hear from a number of Senators who have spent time on this and have been sponsors of this bill, Senator Collins, Senator Cornyn, Senator Menendez will all be joining us for remarks following the remarks of the three of us here at the dais. This is Secretary Bunch's second appearance before the Senate Rules Committee. We are grateful to have him with us today. He was appointed the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in June 2019. Lonnie, what a first year you have had. Obviously, COVID forced the closure of all 19 of the museums for the first time ever, and it happened in the middle of March of this year. That really created an opportunity and a requirement for Secretary Bunch and the great staff at the Smithsonian to even further turn to their already substantial digital efforts. They launched Smithsonian Cares, a new website that aggregates the Smithsonian's many online resources. In addition to Smithsonian Cares, the Smithsonian offers a learning lab that is an online tool created specifically to work with teachers and students in distance learning. No shock that the learning lab had a 500 percent increase from March 2019 to March 2020, and I suspect that increase has only continued to grow. Established in 1846, the Smithsonian, now 170 years later, encompasses 19 museums and galleries, numerous research and educational facilities, the National Zoo, a growing collection of 155 million objects and specimens of various kinds. We are here today to discuss whether the Congress should authorize the addition of two new museums to the Smithsonian's vast portfolio, specifically a Smithsonian Museum of Women's History and a National Museum of the American Latino. We truly have an expert witness on the whole idea of new museums and expanding museums. Secretary Bunch was the founding director of the African National Museum of African-American History and Culture and really led that entire 11 year process of planning and constructing the 400,000 square foot museum that tells a powerful story. There are other powerful stories to be told, and that is what we are talking about today, the vibrant stories of American women and American Latinos. How important they are. I would say also, I just mentioned 11 years in that other effort that Secretary Bunch was so involved in. No matter what we decide here today, these critically important stories need to be told in better and more substantial ways than they have been in the past. During a long period of time it would take to accomplish the goal we are talking about today, assuming we set that goal in 2021, the Smithsonian is set to open a permanent 4,500 square foot Latino gallery named the Molina Gallery, thanks to a $10 million gift from the Molina family, and the Smithsonian's Latino Center continues to show--to be a showcase for that experience. At the direction of the congressional Commission on the Study of the Potential Creation of a National Women's Museum, and again, Ms. Abraham is here to talk about that, the Smithsonian launched its own American Women's History Initiative in 2018. That initiative has since raised $10 million toward the development of exhibitions, programs, educational materials and digital content across the Smithsonian space. I look forward to hearing Secretary Bunch's update on all this important work, which again, we need to continue to encourage and figure what we can do to tell this story in a better way. Even if we decide to have these two new museums, they will not be available for a while. Senator Klobuchar, I want to turn to you for any opening remarks you might have. Then we are going to recognize Senator Feinstein and then the three Senators who have joined us who have also been sponsors of this legislation. Senator Klobuchar. OPENING STATEMENT OF HONORABLE AMY KLOBUCHAR, A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MINNESOTA Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much, Chairman Blunt. I am so glad that we are holding this important hearing today. We have much to do, including pandemic relief, but I was looking back, as you were talking, about during the Depression actually, if you go back to the 30's, one of Franklin Roosevelt's main programs was the Public Works of Art Project. One of them is actually hanging in my office that I have on loan from a Minnesota museum. As you mentioned, these museums will take years to build, but I actually think now is a good time to actually get this started and to get this passed. I am particularly excited to hear from our colleagues, Senator Collins and Feinstein, who are here, as well as Senator Menendez and Senator Cornyn. I am pleased to be a co-sponsor of both of these bills, and I believe these new museums are critical to expanding our understanding of the remarkable contributions that women and Latino Americans have made throughout the history of our country. The Smithsonian Institution was founded on the noble principle that as a Nation we must strive to expand our knowledge and to spread that knowledge widely. Nearly 175 years later, the Smithsonian continues to fulfill its mission, having grown to become the world's largest museum, education and research complex. We should all be proud of it. Every year, this year different with a pandemic, but every year tens of millions of people visit the museums, galleries, the National Zoo. The National Mall is lined with the iconic structures that comprise the crown jewels of the Smithsonian. When families come to Washington and they visit these museums, they think that they are seeing the complete representation, of course, of the history of our Nation. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. The fact that our museums do not adequately portray the contributions of women and Latino Americans has been well documented. In 1999, President Clinton signed an executive order to establish a commission to better identify the accomplishments of women in our Nation's history and to consider whether we should establish a women's museum. In 1994, the Smithsonian issued a report regarding the lack of representation of Latino Americans or their contributions to our Nation. Of course, there have been recommendations for both of these museums by several commissions in the past. Even though the need for these two museums is clear, the path to getting it done is not always clear. We know that these projects can take a long time, as the chairman pointed out, and they will require a tremendous level of resources, and let's get this, momentum. The success of the newest Smithsonian museum, the National Museum of African- American History and Culture, certainly sets a high standard for any museum moving forward, but as Secretary Bunch discusses in his testimony, it didn't just happen overnight. In fact, it took 13 years from the passage of Congressman Lewis's bill until the museum opened in September 2016. Under that timeline, even if the legislation we are discussing today was signed into law tomorrow, the museums wouldn't be open to the public until maybe 2034. That is why I would make the case we should pass legislation as soon as possible so that the hard work to create these museums can truly begin. When I arrived in the Senate, there were only 16 women Senators led by our dean at the time, the great Senator Barbara Mikulski from Maryland, who during her time in the Senate was a key leader of the legislation to establish a women's history museum. As we know, this year marks an important milestone in our democracy, the centennial of the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women in America the right to vote. We now have 26 women Senators, which is an all-time high. Women continue to break barriers. Earlier this month, our colleague, Senator Kamala Harris, became the first woman elected to be Vice President of the United States. I loved one of the graphics that had been sent around online after the election and it says, ``ladies, make sure to wear shoes because there is glass everywhere.'' My witness today is a Latina woman who knows about breaking barriers. Eva Longoria is a trailblazer for Latinos in the film industry. She is known for her work both in front of and behind the camera, and continues to lead the charge of diverse and female representation in the industry and beyond. In addition to speaking about the need for a women's history museum, she can provide a powerful voice in support of an American Latino museum. American Latinos have been a vital part of our country since its founding, and it is past time for their contributions and experiences to be honored with a museum on the National Mall. I think it is very significant that our colleagues are here today, that both these bills before us have passed the House, that both these bills before us have strong leadership, bipartisan leadership, Democrats and Republicans coming together. It is my hope that we can add both of these bills to our final executive business meeting for the 116th Congress and work to get the bills passed this year, not next year, not the year after. As I point out, Roosevelt did this in the middle of the Depression where he saw the future, something that wouldn't get done now, but something that would help us to plan ahead for a decade from now. Think about the kids that are watching. Think about the kids that want to go to that museum and see that women are honored, that Latinos are honored. This is our moment, colleagues, to do something really great by the end of the year. Thank you. Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar. Senator Feinstein. Senator Feinstein. Thanks very much, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Klobuchar and fellow members of the committee. Thank you for including the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act in today's hearing. It has been a while coming and I am very grateful. I am pleased to join my friend and colleague, Senator Collins, in introducing this bipartisan bill to establish a National Women's History Museum. It has been a long time coming, and in the Senate our 13 co-sponsors include every woman who sits on this committee, Mr. Chairman. I thank Ranking Member Klobuchar, Senators Capito, Fischer, Hyde-Smith, and Cortez Masto for their support. In February, the House overwhelmingly passed the companion to our bill by a vote of 374 to 37. It is my hope that this legislation can get done by the end of the year and we can celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote with this commission. From the earliest days of our Nation, women have made substantial and lasting contributions. I don't know why the recognition process has been so difficult but it has been, and I think the election of women to places of power like political bodies has made a difference, but the fact is, American women have transformed the fields of science, government, literature, medicine, and so much more. It is well past time that we establish a museum that specifically pays tribute to this history. It would honor and recognize tremendous collective achievements of American women and will help to tell a more complete story of our past. Just a bit of history. In 2014, Congress established an independent, bipartisan commission to study the potential for creating a National Women's History Museum. Mrs. Jane Abraham, Chair of that commission, is here with us today and will be testifying. The Commission submitted its report to Congress in November 2016 with a unanimous recommendation to establish a comprehensive Women's History Museum. The report further recommends that this museum be on a prominent location on or near the National Mall and that it be established as an official part of the Smithsonian. The bill we are considering today incorporates the Commission's recommendations and moves us closer to the realization of what I saw begin on this committee, Mr. Chairman, 25 years ago, and that is to establish this museum. The Act would establish it's run by the Smithsonian. It would be part of the Smithsonian creative process to determine a location for it on the National Mall and appoint leadership to carry out its construction and operations. I just want to say that I am very proud to be here. I welcome Senator Collins' support and leadership. It has been fantastic. I also thank you, Senator Klobuchar. As women have gained in this body, I think we have gained our ability to achieve this legislation. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Senator Feinstein. Senator Collins. OPENING STATEMENT OF HONORABLE SUSAN COLLINS, A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MAIN Senator Collins. Good morning. Good morning, Chairman Blunt, Ranking Member Klobuchar, Senator Feinstein, and other members of this committee. Let me begin by thanking you for holding this hearing on legislation to establish new museums, including the bill that Senator Feinstein and I have introduced called the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Klobuchar, this cause to establish a Women's History Museum has always been a bipartisan one. The very first bill that I introduced to create such a museum was in 2003. At that time, Senators Barbara Mikulski and my dear colleague Senator Feinstein, were co-sponsors of that bill. This year, as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage and the decades-long fight for women's equality at the ballot box, it is fitting that we at long last establish an institution in our Nation's capital to honor American women. Women have made invaluable contributions to our country in every field: government, business, medicine, law, literature, sports, entertainment, the arts, and the military. As Senator Klobuchar mentioned, here in the Senate, we have a record number of women, 26 in all serving. When I first became a Senator, there were only nine of us. Telling the history of American women matters. It inspires girls to know that there are no boundaries to their potential. A museum recognizing the achievements and experiences of American women is long overdue. In 1999, a Presidential Commission on commemorating women in our history concluded that, ``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.'' In 2014, Congress took the important step toward realizing this goal when it passed legislation creating an independent, bipartisan Commission to study establishing such a museum right here in Washington, DC. After 18 months, the bipartisan commission unanimously concluded that America needs and deserves a physical National Museum dedicated to showcasing the historical experiences and impact of women in this country. I agree wholeheartedly with the Commission's conclusion and I want to thank Jane Abraham for her leadership in heading the Commission. Following the Commission's recommendations, Senator Feinstein and I introduced legislation to create an American Women's History Museum that would collect, study, and create programs incorporating and exhibiting a wide spectrum of women's experiences, contributions, and history. It would be part of the Smithsonian Institution, ensuring that it is free and open to all who visit Washington and would be representative of the diverse viewpoints held by American women. It is important to emphasize that this museum would portray all aspects of women's contributions to our history without partisanship or bias. It would share the stories of pioneering women such as abolitionist Harriet Tubman, the founder of the Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low, Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, leading suffragists like Maine's own Florence Brooks Whitehouse, and so many others. The Commission also recommended a Smithsonian-wide American Women's History Initiative. Since 2018, Congress has provided nearly $10 million in Federal funding toward this important step toward creating the museum. Building on these successes, our bill calls for a funding commitment from both the private sector and the federal government following the successful model used by the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Klobuchar, our bill enjoys broad bipartisan support, and I want to thank the women Senators who serve on this committee as well as others for co-sponsoring it. It is also supported by several organizations, and I would ask that their letters of support be entered into the record without objection. I also want to acknowledge the steadfast leadership of Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, who have led the effort on the House side. In February, the House passed its bill by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 374 to 37. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Klobuchar, as our women's suffrage centennial year draws to a close, I can think of no better way to honor those women and that momentous achievement than by passing the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act. I would note in closing, Mr. Chairman, that in Washington we all enjoy the many museums along the National Mall that commemorate various aspects of our history and our culture. We even have a museum that celebrates buildings. Surely if we can have a museum that celebrates buildings, we ought to have one, and are long overdue in establishing one, that celebrates the many contributions of American women to our Nation. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. [The prepared statement of Senator Collins was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Senator Collins. Senator Cornyn. OPENING STATEMENT OF HONORABLE JOHN CORNYN, A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS Senator Cornyn. Good morning, Chairman Blunt, Ranking Member Klobuchar. It is great to be here with all of you, including our good friend Senator Collins and the rest of the members of this committee. As a proud Texan and a Senator from a border state, I have been fortunate to experience firsthand the tremendous influence of Latinos on our country and culture throughout my life. From learning the stories of the brave soldiers who fought in the Texas revolution to experience the vast influence of the Hispanic culture in my hometown of San Antonio, I am incredibly proud and appreciative of the Latino influence on Texas and American life. Unfortunately, for many Americans the contributions of generations of Latinos are largely unknown, and I hope this committee will soon take action to right this wrong by advancing legislation to establish a National Museum of the American Latino. This effort has been underway for more than 25 years. I note Senator Collins talking about the long journey of the women's museum. These are not hastily--these museums are not hastily established. I think a lot of thought has gone into both, but in particular, the Latino Museum has been an idea that, whose time has now come for more than 25 years. In the 1990's, the Smithsonian Institution commissioned a report to examine the relationship between the museum and Latinos. It was entitled, notably, Willful Neglect. Those two words adequately sum up the findings. For everything from a lack of exhibits to curators to staff, Latinos were excluded at virtually every level of the world's largest museum complex. According to a 2018 report by UCLA, not much progress has been made. Latino representation within the Smithsonian is still far from what it should be, even as the Latino population in America has doubled. One of the recommendations of the initial 1994 report to improve representation of Latinos was through the establishment of a museum dedicated to the contributions of Latino Americans. As I said, that was more than 25 years ago. Congress has not yet authorized this critical museum. With the support of this committee and this Congress, I hope that will change. Every year, millions of Americans visit the Smithsonian to learn about our Nation's complex and fascinating story, and the men and women who helped write it. These museums teach us about: American Presidents, soldiers, artists, astronauts, innovators, icons and heroes of every breed. They house priceless artifacts of American history from the Star Spangled Banner, which inspired the National anthem, to the hat that President Lincoln wore the night he was assassinated. For too long, these museums haven't told the whole story of the rich diversity of our country. That is slowly changing due to the recent additions of the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, but we still have a ways to go. The process of creating a National Museum of the American Latino began in 2008 in earnest when President George W. Bush established a Commission to study the feasibility of such a museum, and again, when their report was released in 2011. Now that it has been nearly a decade since the Commission formally recommended this museum be built, it is time to act. The National Museum of the American Latino Act authorizes the Smithsonian Institution to create a museum honoring American Latinos here in Washington, and I am proud to have introduced this with our colleague, Senator Menendez, in a bipartisan fashion. This Congress and nearly 300 members of the House have co- sponsored this legislation, and it unanimously passed the House earlier this year. The bill has 46 co-sponsors here in the United States Senate, and I hope the committee will soon favorably report this bill to the floor so we can send it to the President's desk before the end of this Congress. It has been more than 25 years since this effort began. It is time to honor the contributions of generations of Latinos by providing a brick and mortar home for their stories right here in our Nation's capital. Thank you again, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Klobuchar, for allowing me to join you here today to talk about this important step, and I am happy to answer any questions you might have, or failing that, I will go back to the Judiciary committee. [The prepared statement of Senator Cornyn was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. Well thank you, Senator Cornyn. I don't know that we will have questions for the Senators here, though we certainly appreciate the fact that you have been here. Senator Collins, the co-sponsor of the women's museum bill. You and Senator Menendez, the sponsors of the museum representing and recognizing Latino contributions, but thank you for being here. Now we will turn to Senator Menendez for his remarks. OPENING STATEMENT OF HONORABLE ROBERT MENENDEZ, A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY Senator Menendez. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, to you and to Ranking Member Klobuchar and members of the committee. Thank you for holding this important hearing to review S. 1267, the National Museum of the American Latino Act, a bill that would fill the most glaring gap in our National history and on our National Mall by authorizing the construction of a new museum dedicated to telling the Latino story. As a lead sponsor of S. 1267, I firmly believe it is time that Hispanic Americans get their own world-class museum on the National Mall, built and administered to the standards that only the Smithsonian Institution can uphold. This effort has been decades in the making. As our former colleagues, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado wrote in The New York Times this past Sunday and I quote, ``In 1994, a task force outlined the ways in which the Smithsonian, `almost entirely excludes and ignores Latinos in nearly every aspect of its operations.' '' Its report, Willful Neglect, offered 10 recommendations for improvement, including that it should support the development of a museum on the National Mall dedicated to honoring and preserving over 500 years of American Latino history and culture. Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit the entirety of their op-ed for the record. Chairman Blunt. Without objection. [The information referred to was submitted for the record.] Senator Menendez. Thank you. This is not a partisan issue. There is strong support from both sides of the aisle, as Senator Cornyn suggested, to establish a museum devoted to Hispanic American history. Our bill, S. 1267, has nearly unanimous support from Senate Democrats and six Republican co- sponsors, an accomplishment that seems barely achievable in today's hyperpartisan environment. The companion bill in the House, H.R. 2420, passed the lower chamber by voice vote with overwhelming bipartisan co- sponsorship. Presidents from both parties have supported the creation of a National Museum of the American Latino. In fact, the first bill to create the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino was first introduced in the Senate back in 2004 by Senator Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah. Now is the time for Congress to finish what it started almost two decades ago. No one can deny that the 60 million Latino Americans living in this country will continue to shape America's future. Just as we have shaped America's past. From day one, Hispanics have shaped this Nation in countless ways as military leaders, as pioneers in business, in the arts, as activists and elected officials. Yet, the history and contributions of Hispanic Americans to the United States since its inception have been at best overlooked and at worst erased. When our Nation's children read their assigned American history textbooks, the presence of Latinos in the United States is missing. They are not taught that half a century before English-speaking colonies were settled in Jamestown, Virginia, Spanish was already being spoken in a settlement established in St. Augustine, Florida, or that Bernardo de Galvez, a Spanish colonel of the Louisiana regiment in New Orleans, thwarted every British advance in the area, helping the army of General George Washington win the American Revolutionary War. Neither are our children taught that the origins of Latino presence in the United States have little to do with economic migration as many--and more to do with the American expansion, which integrated Hispanic-occupied territories. These are but a fraction of the numerous examples of galleries and exhibitions the Smithsonian National Museum for the American Latino could house for millions of visitors all over the world to learn about. If there is anything this recent election has taught us is that both Democrats and Republicans have lots to learn about who the Latinos and Latinas living in this country are. We are not a monolithic community. Some of us have ancestors who lived on the American soil before there was an America. Some of us have immigrated to the United States from as many as 20 different countries around the Western Hemisphere seeking the promise of opportunity. We all have unique cultural identities that make us different. Yet, all of us live in the United States share a common bond, the continuous strive to make this country the best version of itself it can be. That is the story that only the Smithsonian Institution can tell. That is the history the National Museum of the American Latino will bring to life. It will inspire families, tourists, students, and people from all backgrounds to celebrate the diverse threads that bind the United States of America together as one Nation. Representation matters when it comes to our history. Imagine what it would mean to Latino children coming to visit our Nation's capital and seeing their ancestors' contributions to our country. What would it mean for children of different ethnic backgrounds to learn about the history of the people that look like their neighbors and their friends in school? These are the building blocks of acceptance and inclusion. It is hard to believe that a month and a half from 2021, a museum devoted to Latino history does not already exist in the Nation's capital. Today, I am sure some may argue that now is not the time to build new museums, that the Smithsonian has a maintenance backlog in the millions of dollars in order to bring every other older museum up to standards and that we must first address that backlog before beginning to discuss a new museum, but we have heard that excuse before, and I am sure Secretary Bunch heard that excuse many times before turning the dream of this Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History into a reality. We also must not forget that as S. 1267 has a 50/50 public and private cost sharing model. Pass the bill now and dare us to harness the economic power of Latinos and Latinas in the United States, and I guarantee you our community will meet the challenge. It is long past time for Congress to pass legislation to authorize the construction of this museum to celebrate the indelible history and contributions of Latino Americans to make America great. I thank the committee for the discussions, the importance of the bill, and I sincerely hope you will move forward to passage to finally make this dream a reality. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [The prepared statement of Senator Menendez was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Senator Menendez. We have one other co-sponsor of the bill who is also a member of the committee, who has a comment to make before we go to witnesses. Before that, do you have a unanimous--Senator Klobuchar---- Senator Klobuchar. Yes. Mr. Chairman, I have a letter from the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs and a list of names of prominent leaders in the Twin Cities Latino community in support of the National Museum of the American Latino Act. A letter of support from 3M, a major company in my state, that supports the establishing of this museum. A letter from the sponsors of the House legislation that would establish the National Museum of the American Latino. I ask unanimous consent that each of these items be included in the record. Chairman Blunt. Without objection. [The information referred to was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. Senator Capito, who is also a member of this committee and a co-sponsor of the bill, do you have some comments you would like to make? Senator Capito. I do. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank you and Ranking Member Klobuchar for the opportunity. I will be relatively brief. We have heard all of the wonderful contributions that the Smithsonian has made. We know that in 2020 there have been, even in this year, 3.3 million visits free of charge for people to explore our great history and to learn more about the world around them. These two bills before the committee today will expand that ability of the Smithsonian to provide that high quality educational resource and to preserve our heritage. Passage of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act and the National Museum of the American Latino Act will enable visitors to learn more about the impact that diverse groups have had in shaping our shared history. As you mentioned, I am the proud co-sponsor of both of these bills. I would like to thank my friend, former Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for prevailing upon me to be a co-sponsor of the National Museum of the American Latino Act. She in and of herself could be an exhibit, I believe. I am proud to co-sponsor both bills, as I said, and I want to recognize the leadership of all the co-sponsors and the main sponsors of these bills. We know we are marking the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gives us the perfect time to say to American women and women around the world that we want to enshrine our history and make it available to all of the women around--the men and women around the world. We know we have a record number of women, Senator Klobuchar mentioned that, in Congress right now. I am proud to be the first woman to represent West Virginia in the United States Senate. I can't think of no better time. You know, in West Virginia, I created a program called West Virginia Girls Rise Up, which aims to inspire that next generation of female leaders. I ask the girls, I travel the state, and the fifth grade girls to encourage them to set goals for themselves and work to achieve them. I brought it to elementary and middle schools. I have had fantastic guests, Librarian of the Congress, Carla Hayden, the astronaut Peggy Whitson, our former Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, and others. When I think of the women's museum, I think of those girls' faces that I see when I do my West Virginia Girls Rise Up visits and how excited they will be to be inspired by the contributions of past generations and to be able to give them the confidence to be a part of seizing that mantle of leadership in the next generation. Similarly, the National Museum of the American Latino is way overdue. We have heard for how many years it has been in the making. I am very, very excited about future generations viewing the contributions of Latinos all throughout this country and reminding us of our diversity has allowed our democracy to flourish. For these reasons, I am hopeful that we pass these--after our hearing, we pass these bills. I thank you again for letting me add my voice. I am a strong co-sponsor of both bills and I look forward to their passage. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Senator Capito. Senator Udall. Senator Udall. Thank you, Chairman Blunt, a pleasure to be here with everyone today. I am pleased to be here this morning to discuss these two bills authorizing new museums that celebrate our history, the Latino community and American women's history. These museums would recognize and celebrate our Nation's diverse heritage and has broad bipartisan. I am very pleased that this has broad bipartisan support. I am also proud to have had the chance to oversee the institution as both a member of this committee and as ranking member of the Senate Interior Appropriations subcommittee. In both roles, I have worked to make sure Congress is an active partner with the Smithsonian Institution and provides the resources that it needs to meet its obligations to advance the civic, educational, scientific, and artistic life of this Nation. We all know that the Smithsonian requires real investment to keep its existing museums operating, to expand its collections, to tell the story of all Americans, and to support the reach of its research and educational programs across the country. I expect we will hear this morning about the importance of gathering resources needed to take the next steps to bring inclusivity into the narrative of our American history through these museums to illuminate an American story for all. I look forward to hearing from my colleague, Secretary Bunch, and the advocates here today. Secretary Bunch--is he answering questions, Mr. Chairman, at this point? Chairman Blunt. We are not asking questions yet. We want to have his testimony first. Senator Udall. Thank you. Thank you Chairman. Chairman Blunt. Senator Cortez Masto. Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member. Thank you to all my colleagues for their statements and to the witnesses today. Let me just say, as the first female Senator ever from the great State of Nevada and the first Latina ever elected to the United States Senate, I am so excited to be able to support these two museums. One of the things I think is so important to emphasize when we are discussing the future of these museums is that they are not just museums for one group of people. A women's history museum won't just benefit women and the Latino Museum is not just for Latino's to visit. Instead, these museums are for all of us to help us expand our understanding of what it means to be an American and learn more about the contributions of all those who have come before us and contributed to who we are today. In May 2011, the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino reached the finding that a National Museum focused on American Latino history, art and culture is not only viable but essential to America's interests. Similarly, in November 2016, the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women's History Museum came to the unanimous conclusion that America needs and deserves a physical National Museum dedicated to showcasing the historical experiences and impact of women in this country. I strongly support passing these bills into law so we can start the process of building two essential museums that Americans need and deserve, but that also means we need to provide the Smithsonian Institution with the support it needs for staffing or maintenance and security of our existing museums and collections. It is long past time to make these new museums a priority. I hope we get serious today and in the future about making it happen. I am looking forward to the discussion today, both on the many reasons we should build these two museums and how to continue supporting the incredible public servants who make the Smithsonian the treasure that it is. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Senator Cortez Masto. We will have the testimony now from all of our witnesses before we have time for questions. I would remind all of them that your written testimony is part of the record. You have 5 minutes and you can use that by going through your written testimony or summarizing it in whatever way you think is most effective. Again, we are going to start with Secretary Bunch, and Secretary Bunch, glad to have you back before the committee today. OPENING STATEMENT OF LONNIE G. BUNCH III, SECRETARY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Mr. Bunch. Okay. Chairman Blunt, Ranking Member Klobuchar, members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. I am so grateful that you are exploring the creation of new museums at the Smithsonian. As the founding director of the National Museum of African- American History and Culture, I am happy to share some insights I gained in building a museum that began without a staff, without a building, and without collections. Yet the broad and diverse popularity of the museum has shown us that Americans are excited about learning not only the culture of a community, but how that story shapes who we all are. As Congress considers museum legislation, we continue to provide our visitors with a broader and more inclusive history. We have integrated Latino and women's history, its art, culture, scientific achievements throughout the Smithsonian. In many ways, we have launched things that provide the foundation for any new museums. For example, we launched the American Women's History Initiative Because of Her Story in the year 2000. Let's see, is my video now on now? I am sorry. Chairman Blunt. Mr. Secretary, I think we lost your video again, but we do have the audio. We are working on the video if you want to continue--there you are. Mr. Bunch. Okay. Alright. For instance, we launched the American Women's History Initiative because of our story in 2018. It is one of the country's most ambitious undertakings to research, collect, document, and display, and share women's compelling stories. It has established a pool of funds. It has increased online engagement. It has allowed us to do something crucial, hire curators, and develop internships to ensure the next generation. It has also helped us produce world-class exhibitions, including Votes for Women at the National Portrait Gallery and Girlhood (It's Complicated), which just opened at the National Museum of American History. Since 1997, we have also expanded representation of Latino Americans at the Smithsonian with our Latino Center. The Center administers a Latino Museum studies program. It has helped attract Latino curators, and it has helped us build the largest collection of United States Latino art among any of the Nation's major art museums. The Latino Center's new exhibitions, Baseball, will open next April in the National Gallery of American History, National Museum of American History, and one of its crowning achievements is the Molina Family Latino Gallery. When it opens in the spring of 2020, its inaugural exhibition, Presente, will give us a Latino history of the United States, which will be the first National Latino Gallery on the National Mall. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Latino Center and the Women's History Initiative. Creating new museums is challenging, but the Smithsonian has the skill, experience, and expertise to do it right. Obviously, it is something I care passionately about. We can create museums that meet the needs of the Nation and showcase the United States of the world--to the world, but to do so, there are several things we must determine: the public's expectations of a museum's size, program, new technology, collections, and staffing are all issues we have to think about and grapple with, and most importantly, a suitable location. Yet, irrespective of physical space, we have seen how important it is to reach audiences digitally. Since March, when our use of digital assets has dramatically increased, for instance, we created a learning lab, which is our free educational platform, which features millions of authentic digital resources. The Smithsonian Cares initiative is an extensive collection of our online resources that people can use from home, including open access collections, distance learning resources, online events, exhibitions, and podcasts. These considerations, as well as the design, construction, and operation of future museum costs must be part of any discussion. With the support of Congress, we continue to make headway addressing the backlog of maintenance costs through our major renovations and our targeted approach to maximizing our limited resources. Allocating resources between existing needs and new projects will always create tension. Appropriate resource levels can minimize that tension. Congressional support can help fund a new museum and continue to help us address our significant maintenance requirements. It would be crucially important for both to be addressed because we want to make sure that we can create and continue to prove--improve, provide high quality experiences for visitors. I trust that Members of this committee will understand and will plan for the long-term obligations the new museums would incur. Thank you for holding this hearing. It is important to me. Thank you for your ongoing support and for your commitment to sharing the experiences of all Americans. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. [The prepared statement of Mr. Bunch was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Secretary Bunch. If you will stay with us, we are going to go ahead and have all of our witnesses testify and then everybody will be available for questions for whatever time we have for questions, but, again, thanks for your presence here today and your leadership at the Smithsonian. Jane Abraham is the Former Chairman of the Congressional Commission to Study the Potential for a National Women's History Museum, also on a Smithsonian effort looking at how that story is being currently told. Mrs. Abraham, we are glad you are here with us and look forward to your testimony. OPENING STATEMENT OF JANE ABRAHAM, FORMER CHAIR, CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION TO STUDY THE POTENTIAL FOR A NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM Mrs. Abraham. Thank you. Do I need to push something? There. Okay. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Klobuchar, members of the committee, and committee staff, thank you for inviting me to join you here today. I proudly stand in support of Senate Bill 959 to establish the first ever comprehensive Women's History Museum as part of the Smithsonian. I would like to tell you why I believe this is the best way to pay tribute to the remarkable role women have played in America's history. In December 2014, Congress considered this question important enough to form a bipartisan National Commission consisting of eight women, all appointed by House and Senate leaders and all from very different walks of life. I had the honor of chairing that Commission. Over 18 months, from July 2015 through November 2016, we explored how to most effectively tell the story of women's phenomenal contributions to the history of America. As I am sure each of you knows, in Washington in recent years, finding bipartisan solutions to policy challenges can be nearly impossible. Indeed, any group of four Democrats selected by Speaker Pelosi and former Leader Reid, and four Republicans picked by then Speaker Boehner and Leader McConnell might be expected to reach an impasse on almost any policy solution. Trust me when I say our group of eight commissioners were an outspoken, opinionated group representing the full spectrum of political viewpoints, and no one was shy about expressing her views. The good news is we did not end up with gridlock. Instead, this bipartisan Commission found common ground. We found a way to stand together, work through differences, listen deeply to each other, respect and trust that we were committed to the same outcomes. Ultimately, that is the spirit that devised a democratic Government for America at its inception, and it is that spirit which this American Women's History Museum will recognize, elevate, and celebrate. We believe the unified bipartisan plan we forged together deserves your support and the support of the American people. Our overall conclusion was that America needs and deserves a National Museum, one that is part of the Smithsonian Institution, that is dedicated to the often untold stories of exceptional women who changed the course of our Nation's history. We now believe this museum is more important than ever. Such a National Museum will reflect all the many different ideas, perspectives, and causes that were championed, invented, and led by American women. It will remind us of our Nation's inspiring history and our limitless future. That is why we believe we can raise significant funds from the private sector to support this venture. This museum reflects the desire of so many women and men to reflect on the uncommon achievements that contributed to America's place in the world and their desire that the next generation know about those achievements as well. Now, more than ever, we believe Americans are eager for such a museum, not just mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters, but fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons as well. We believe the new leadership of the Smithsonian Institution also recognizes that. The Commission acknowledged that museums aren't built overnight and the project would require at least a 10-year timeline, but we wanted to get going immediately. During the Commission's deliberations, we had a series of conversations with Smithsonian leadership. As a result, the Commission proposed that the first critical phase establish an entity called the American Women's History Initiative within the Smithsonian. We felt that this initiative would immediately make women's history a top priority across all of the Smithsonian's museums, and would be the first essential step toward a permanent museum. We are delighted that as a result of our recommendation, the Smithsonian immediately launched this first step in 2017, and our Commission was instrumental in securing the first $3 million to begin it. As you have heard from Secretary Lonnie Bunch, the initiative has been very successful over the past 4 years, and we are very grateful to the Smithsonian for taking the Women's History Initiative from an idea to reality. My fellow commissioners and I unanimously support Senate Bill 959. We ask each of you to join us and we encourage unanimous support from the entire Senate. I especially want to thank Senator Collins for sponsoring the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act and Senator Feinstein for being the original co-sponsor, along with the many members of this committee who are also co-sponsors. I appreciate the opportunity to testify this morning. I ask that the supporting documents and letters of support I have submitted and have been received by the Rules Committee be read into the record. I would be happy to answer any questions. [The prepared statement of Mrs. Abraham was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. We will accept those things on the record, without objection. [The information referred to was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. Danny Vargas is the Chairman of the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino. Mr. Vargas, we are glad to have you with us today. OPENING STATEMENT OF DANNY VARGAS, CHAIRMAN, FRIENDS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO Mr. Vargas. Good morning, Chairman Blunt, Ranking Member Klobuchar, and members of the committee. Thanks for the opportunity to testify today. As a kid from the streets of Brooklyn, an Air Force veteran, an entrepreneur, and as a dad, it is truly humbling to be before you. However, today I am also representing our organization, our many supporters, nearly 61 million Latinos in the United States, and we have received many letters of support from corporations, from organizations, academia, and individuals. We ask that those letters be entered into the record. As a patriot, I want America to reach its fullest potential, but to get there, we need to know where we came from. Sadly, much of what is in our history books and our National Museums is incomplete. Latinos have been vital in the founding, the building, the shaping, the defending of this Nation for over 500 years, but most Americans are unaware of these indispensable contributions. Our mission is to create a museum that illuminates the American story for the benefit of everyone, for a more complete and accurate telling of American history. Latinos have been settling communities in what is now United States territory since 1493. By the time the British get to Jamestown in 1607, there had already been a bunch of Latinos saying, bievenidos, what took you so long? America would be unrecognizable without the century's worth of Latino contributions, including our military. Latinos have fought in every war we have ever had, from Spanish General Galvez helping General Washington win the war of independence, to the first full Admiral of the United States Navy, David Farragut famously saying, damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead during the civil war, from the half million Latino troops in World War II to the Army 65th Infantry Regiment, the Borinqueneers of Puerto Rico and their legendary exploits in Korea, and the thousands of Hispanic surnames etched on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, from the young Latinos and Latinas serving and sacrificing on our behalf in the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq to the 60 Medal of Honor recipients. As an Air Force veteran myself, I can tell you that Latinos take a backseat to no one in the defense of liberty. Our community has had a lasting impact in every single aspect of society, from arts, to science to business, sports, politics and more. One of my personal heroes, Roberto Clemente, helped usher in the era of Latinos in baseball despite facing discrimination because he was both Latino and black. Lynda Carter, television's Wonder Woman in the 1970's, changed the face of strong women on TV. Before Brown v. Board of Education there was Mendez v. Westminster, which laid the groundwork for school desegregation. Throughout history, we have been relying on Latinos to fight our wars and to run our businesses, to tend our fields and to mend our wounds, to teach our kids, patrol our streets, and to share the word of God. Contrary to what some might believe, Latinos are not a recent patch being sewn onto the tapestry of America. We are an essential foundational thread woven into the very fabric of America. We are a wonderfully complex community today. We are over 18 percent of the population, $2 trillion in purchasing power. We are Afro Latinos, we are Asian Latinos, we are blond hair and blue eyed, we are mulattos and mestizos and Native Americans and everything in between. We are not a race. We are a culture. We are Republicans, Democrats, and independents. We have foundational shared values around family and faith and freedom and opportunity and optimism and pride and passion, and those are the qualities most in need in our country today. We also have a responsibility to inspire future generations. By 2060, Latinos will make up 30 percent of the population. If we hope to remain a strong, thriving, and vibrant Nation, that segment of the population needs to feel acknowledged, engaged and invested in our future. This is about honoring our ancestors and inspiring our descendants. This initiative began 26 years ago when the Smithsonian task force found Willful Neglect in its portrayal of Latino stories. They recommended the creation of an American Latino Museum. In 2008, President Bush signed the bill creating the Commission to study the museum's feasibility, which I was appointed to by John Boehner. In 2011, we delivered our report to Congress and President Obama saying three basic things, there was a clear and pressing need for the museum, that it should be part Smithsonian Institution, and that it really ought to be on the National Mall. That year, we first introduced the authorization bill, and this year the House passed the American Latino Museum Act unanimously in a voice vote with 295 bipartisan co-sponsors. We now have 45 bipartisan co-sponsors for the Senate bill. We urge the committee to advance the bill and we urge the full Senate to pass the House bill by unanimous consent. The House bill includes language ensuring the diversity of political viewpoints, meaning this would be the first and only Smithsonian Museum in the Institution's 174 year history requiring the representation of various points of view, including the conservative viewpoint. We stand on the shoulders of the leaders who created previous ethnic museums. We have learned from their experiences, and I am confident in our ability to raise the funds needed to build a world-class institution. In closing, I have been involved with this initiative for the last 13 years. For me, it is a labor of love, a legacy initiative. It is about family. One day, God willing, I will be able to walk into this museum with my family and my two sons, Daniel and David. I have a vision of a young Latina born today in America and on her sixth grade field trip, she can come to DC and she can marvel at the monuments and she can visit Capitol Hill and she can go to the National Museums, including the American Latino Museum. She can see all these stories that I have been talking about and more. She can leave that museum not only proud to be a Latina, but proud to be an American. Thank you so much for the opportunity to testify and I would be happy to answer any questions you might have. [The prepared statement of Mr. Vargas was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Mr. Vargas. It is great to see you again. Another friend of this committee, CiCi Rojas, who is the Chairman of the Latino Coalition, will be our next witness. Ms. Rojas. OPENING STATEMENT OF CICI ROJAS, CHAIR, THE LATINO COALITION FOUNDATION Ms. Rojas. Good morning, Chairman Blunt, and thank you, Ranking Member Klobuchar and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. As a proud Midwesterner from Missouri, an engaged citizen who is working on many worthy projects in my community, and, most importantly, a mother, it is truly an honor to be before you to testify for such a meaningful project to our community. I also serve on the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino with my board colleague Danny Vargas, whom you just heard from. However, I come before you today as the Chairman of the Latino Coalition Foundation, a National organization dedicated to providing Latino businesses a platform to thrive and shape public policy. Additionally, we strive to accomplish our mission by advocating for pinnacle efforts such as this. Latinos have contributed positively to every aspect of American history. They have impacted the areas of business, education, health, sports and, most recently, politics. The Latino community has probably enriched our Nation's competitiveness, culture, and prosperity through the generations. We are a diverse community with a wide range of viewpoints, work environments, and passion. Yet we possess the commonality of valuing the importance of culture, family, and patriotism. Therefore, we find it vital that we proudly share our incredible stories and celebrate a more complete telling of American history. Our community has certainly been essential to our Nation's past and will be integral to our current and future history. Here is a summary of some impressive facts that make Hispanic Americans critical to America. Our population size and growth. At nearly 60 million people, making up 18 percent of the United States population, Latinos are the largest diverse population segment and account for over 50 percent of total population growth from 2008 to 2018. Today, one in four or 25 percent of children under 18 is of Hispanic descent. Hispanics are projected to become 30 percent of the population by 2060. As a result, Latinos are becoming an economic force. In 2017, Hispanic households earned more than $1 trillion. This allowed them to pay more than $252.2 billion in Federal and local taxes. After taxes, Hispanic households held more than $781 billion in spending power. Latinos are a thriving business community and job creators. We are opening more small businesses faster than anyone else in the United States. With a total of 4.7 million Latino-owned businesses in the Nation, one in four new businesses are Latino-owned and provide 3 million jobs to workers in the United States. Over-- with over $2.3 trillion in 2018 gross domestic product, American Latinos are the 8th largest economy in the world. From a funding standpoint, it is equally important to note, the museum will be built utilizing a 50/50 model. 50 percent of the cost of construction of the museum will be raised through private funds by the museum's Board of Regents. The remaining 50 percent of the costs will be appropriated by Congress. Additionally, the House bill added language to ensure diversity of political views, reflecting the diversity of our community as a whole. Although there will be many important stories enshrined in the museum, which will both highlight the struggles and resilience of this community, as well as celebrate the achievements of Latinos across all industries, the most important message is that the American--is that the Latino story is the American story, and as a Nation, we must honor the promise of what our country was built on and stands for. One such example of those great American stories that made a positive impact in the Latino American community is that of the late Hector Barrero Sr., a Midwesterner. Hector was originally born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1935. His American journey began in 1958 when he moved to West Central Missouri. After a series of hard and back-breaking jobs, he decided to do what many Americans dream of doing, be his own boss. He started his first enterprise, a Mexican restaurant, and then that establishment grew into another and then another. After success in business, he went on to help establish the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. His journey to success is one of many Latinos whose tales are woven into the American history and whose essence will be captured within the walls of the National Latino--of the National Museum of the American Latino for generations to come. Thank you for this opportunity to be before you today, and I welcome your questions. [The prepared statement of Ms. Rojas was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Ms. Rojas. Our last witness today, Eva Longoria, is an actor, an activist, a member of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino. Ms. Longoria, we are glad to have you with us today. OPENING STATEMENT OF EVA LONGORIA BASTON, ACTOR, ACTIVIST, AND MEMBER OF COMMISSION TO STUDY THE POTENTIAL CREATION OF A NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO Ms. Longoria. Thank you, Chairman Blunt. I appreciate this opportunity. Thank you, Ranking Member Klobuchar and committee members. It is my honor to be here alongside my fellow witnesses and community leaders, Danny Vargas, CiCi Rojas, and Jane Abraham. As a woman, as a Latina, and as a very proud ninth-generation American, I come before you as a citizen who lives at the intersection of the opportunities that we have gathered here to discuss, the establishment of the National Museum of the American Latino and the National Women's History Museum. If you look at our history textbooks, you look at our National monuments and our celebrated statues, they only reflect one kind of American hero, one that looks like our founding fathers, white and male. There are many other extraordinary Americans who are responsible for scientific breakthroughs, military feats, civil rights accomplishments, artistic achievements, and landmark legislation, but when you don't have representation in the official record, these contributions are effectively erased. Tens of millions of people visit Smithsonian museums each year, and they are presented with an incomplete picture of our Nation's history. When we allow this to go unaddressed, we maintain the status quo in which women and Latinos are left out of our collective perception of American history, relegated as sidekicks to white male heroes. Our history is only shared as a footnote or in relation to someone else's story like Dolores Huerta to Cesar Chavez, or Eleanor Roosevelt to FDR. That is why this legislation is presented to you today to correct the record. For women's history, the story of one statue sums this up. In February 1921, the National Women's Party presented Congress with a statue of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott, three white pioneers of the women's suffrage movement. Their statue's inscription included a quote that asked for ``justice, not favor; men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.'' At the time, Congress deemed the inscription blasphemous and removed it from the statue and then moved the statue to the basement of Congress, where it remained for 76 years, out of public view and the eyes of three generations of American girls, three generations of young women who could have benefited from the display of this statue because of what it represented: women claiming their place in America's future. Thanks to decades of work by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and other dedicated women on both sides of the aisle, this monument now lives in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol, alongside statues of Martin Luther King Jr. and George Washington. Now, this statue of three white women is just one part of the story. It is not the whole story, which includes centuries of labor by black and white and Latina and Asian and indigenous activists. The struggle for recognition mirrors the battles we continue to fight today. Two centuries after the women's suffrage movement began, a lack of representation of women's place in history prevents us from moving forward on gender equality issues today, from wage gap to reproductive freedom to representation in boardrooms and government. If America can't recognize our past contributions, how can America respect our present significance? We won't achieve full gender equality until generations of girls and boys have the opportunity to see the complete picture of women's accomplishments, historic feats, and innovations which represent half of our Nation's story. I am not only here today as a woman, but as a Latina. 18 percent of Americans identify as American Latinos, the largest minority ethnic group in the country. As Dr. Rudy Acuna wrote, history is not supposed to be ideological. It is truth deduced from known facts. For the Latino community, the facts are missing because there is no story in American history that does not include American Latinos. We have been here since before the Mayflower, since before the colonies, since before the Declaration of Independence. We have a broad and diverse community from indigenous Latinos to Black and Afro Latinos to Caribbean Latinos. We have built this country brick by brick, railroad by railroad, from seed to harvest. We did this alongside the folks who already have their place in history books and museums. Often those people were the very same people who oppressed us. Yet it is our story that isn't told, but now we have the chance. We have the chance to correct the record, to present a fuller, clearer picture of our diverse Nation. The Smithsonian Institution, the official record of our history and culture, has the opportunity to recognize the fact that Latinos are as essential to America's history as they are to America's future. Our institutions must be large enough to hold the truth and the expanse of American history and large enough to offer representation, inspiration, and the promise of a bright future to all of our Nation's people. When I served on the National Museum of the American Latino Commission, we traveled the country and we held town halls from Phoenix to Philadelphia. It was no surprise that there is very little representation of Latinos in our great museums across the country, but with each stop, members of the community offered heartfelt testimonials about the art and the artifacts and the stories that should live in a National Museum of the American Latino, but more than what it should contain, they shared what it would represent. Finally, an acknowledgment that we too are heroes in American history. We, too, are patriots. We too take pride in the country we have all built together. Without the museum, it is all too easy for some to write off the accomplishments of Latinos and our place in this Nation. It is easy to vilify us today and hold us back from claiming our place in history and hold us back from full equality as American citizens. To establish this museum on the National Mall, the place where we inaugurate our presidents, honor our veterans, exercise our freedom of speech, conduct business in our Nation and Congress, that would send the message that we belong among our Nation's most important monuments. We value the experience and contributions of Latinos, to the great American experiment. So, because by offering each and every American the opportunity to fully understand and appreciate women's and Latinos' contributions, we can collectively work toward the highest ideal of our Nation. E Pluribus Unum, out of many, one. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. [The prepared statement of Ms. Longoria was submitted for the record.] Chairman Blunt. Thank you very much. Thanks to all of our witnesses for really an outstanding and helpful testimony. We are in the middle of a series of votes on the floor, and so we are going to bring this to a conclusion here in a minute. I hope we all--that everybody that wants to has time to ask two or three questions. Let me start with that. Secretary Bunch, you have said in interviews that the most important work you have ever done was the opportunity to build the museum you built. What is the most important lesson you learned and the most important work you have ever done that might relate to these two questions we are looking at today? Mr. Bunch. In some ways, it is really two things. First, is that the American public has a thirst to understand itself, to understand itself fully, and by looking at the African-American experience, that was one of the ways we enriched the public understanding of our identity. Second, what was really clear to me is that this is something that the Smithsonian is good at, crafting a museum that is full of wonder, that is rife with scholarship, that inspires and educates. That, in essence, is part of the glue that holds the country together. What I learned more than anything else is that the Smithsonian has a responsibility to help America better understand itself, to look at its past clearly and candidly, to use that past to understand where we are today, and to use that past to point out toward a better tomorrow. Chairman Blunt. Well, thank you. That is, you are in a perfect position to give advice on this. As we would move forward with this legislation, do you believe it has everything it needs to have in it to launch the fundraising effort and the other effort that you are familiar with that needs to be made? Mr. Bunch. I think there are a couple of things that can be sharpened, but I think it is crucially important to have a 50/ 50 funding mechanism. That is really key, but it is also important to recognize that there needs to be some significant resources up front to allow a museum to move forward, to think about how it builds a fundraising apparatus, to think about how it begins to bring people together, scholars and others, to think about what this museum could really be. I think it is also essential to find a way to better rationalize the way the public money was mixed with the private money. Is it a one to one ratio? What is the way to really ensure that you can plan based on what you know will be coming in the future? But I think that in many ways this is an opportune time to change the country by helping it better understand itself through the creation of these kinds of museums. Chairman Blunt. Well, good. I hope we have a chance to follow up on that in the very near future before we finalize this bill and look at the two things you just mentioned. Mrs. Abraham, I think you said in your testimony you thought that currently the Smithsonian was stepping up and telling this story in a better way in the likely decade we would have even if we went forward today. Am I right in characterizing your view of that? Mrs. Abraham. Yes, I do believe that the Smithsonian has implemented our first recommendation, which was to establish the initiative within the Smithsonian to do a better job of sharing the stories about women's history because we recognize as a Commission that it would take at least 10 years to be able to build a permanent museum. Looking at the African-American example of their museum and cultural center, being able to build much of that infrastructure and nucleus of the museum in the existing Smithsonian was critical. We felt it was the first important step. We are so proud that the Smithsonian embraced that and do believe that they are doing a very nice job as we move forward with establishing a permanent museum. Chairman Blunt. Ms. Rojas mentioned that the House bill had added language on the Latino, American Latino Museum, recognizing the importance of understanding the diversity of political views. Is there anything like that in the other bill or should there be? Mrs. Abraham. Well, there is on the House version. The Walker Amendment did something very, very similar to that. Certainly, I would support if in the Senate version there was a companion amendment. Let me just tell you, our eight commissioners could not have been more diverse politically. The topic of content was something that we discussed many, many times over the 18 months that we participated. We felt very strongly, which resulted in our unanimous recommendation, that this museum needed to represent all viewpoints on all issues. We would support, certainly, any strengthening amendment that the Senate felt necessary. Chairman Blunt. Thank you. I will have a couple of questions for the record for the other three witnesses, but if we are going to let other people ask questions, I need to stop at the end of my 5 minutes. I will. Senator Klobuchar. Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much. Thank you, Senator Blunt. I moved over from the hearing room. Mostly, I wanted to show Director Bunch that I have art from the Weisman Art Museum in Minnesota on loan in my office. I appreciate your leadership, Mr. Bunch. I know the goal number four of the Smithsonian Institution's strategic plan discusses the need to understand and impact 21st century audiences. It reads exactly this, it says, ``we will tell the complete American story, in person and online, in all our museums, exhibits, and programs--and across them--with a focus on all Americans, Nationally and locally.'' To me, the American Women's History Museum and the National American Latino Museum both embody the spirit of that goal. Do you agree? Mr. Bunch. I do indeed agree. I think it is crucially important that my career has really been about expanding the narrative and making sure we have a diverse, inclusive history. I think that has really always been the goal of the Smithsonian under my leadership. These museums can help us achieve that goal. Senator Klobuchar. I understand you have this backlog. You are very prudent about how to manage the museums. We appreciate that, but when the African-American Museum started you were so, of course, involved in all of this, did you have this kind of pushback and you have advice for all of us as we move forward on these two museums? Mr. Bunch. I think it is important to recognize that there is the great need to help the Smithsonian improve its backlog, but my notion has always been that with the right resources and creative leadership, the Smithsonian can do several things at once. It is really important to me to make sure that we maintain all that we have, but we are also open to the possibility of new. Senator Klobuchar. Very good. I think that is really important for us to remember. In my opening statement, I talked about how even during the Great Depression, that Roosevelt thought ahead and did the WPA. I have one of those Smithsonian murals actually in my personal office here, and thought ahead to the WPA murals that are such a big part of us not losing-- our soul. That is what I want to remember as we look at doing this during the middle of this economic crisis and pandemic. I turn to Ms. Longoria. Thank you so much for being here. I gave you some nice words at the beginning and thank you. You talk about how we depict our world to generations to come is going to matter to kids, Latino kids, is going to matter to little girls that they see that they are represented with their own museum. Ms. Longoria. Yes. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar. Thank you for all of your work. Look, representation matters, if we have learned anything. There is--it is a twofold benefit because it is important for everyone to see themselves reflected in our history and in our art so they can feel that their experiences are seen and understood; so they can be inspired to similar feats by people who look like them and sound like them. That is for young little girls and it is also for Latinos everywhere. But the second part is, it educates others about us, okay, and quality representation teaches us about each other. For some folks who don't have a Latino in their town, learning about journalist Gwen Ifill or labor rights leader Dolores Huerta, it teaches them about the values of our community, the values and strength of women, and it shares who we are and what we care about. I think it more importantly allows us to better understand and appreciate diverse viewpoints and shared priorities as Americans. That is what we are missing right now, I think, in our society. Those museums are not for women and for Latinos. It is going to be for everybody. Senator Klobuchar. We do appreciate the work that Secretary Bunch has done in terms of bringing these exhibits in, but I think so much--many of us would be so excited to actually get these museums. We have been talking about them for so long. I really appreciate also you brought up the statue and maybe I will end with this, you are somehow competing, Ms. Longoria, with Mark Zuckerberg and Dorsey in a judiciary hearing I have going on at the same time but I prioritized you. Ms. Longoria. Thank you. Senator Klobuchar. I love that you brought up that statue because I don't know that everyone knows about this, that this was presented to Congress in 1921 with the suffragettes. Of course, it didn't have full representation of votes, but it had this inscription that read, ``Justice, not favor, men their rights and nothing more, women, their rights and nothing less.'' It was these three women and it got put in the basement of the Senate as an attempt to erase especially the words that were at the bottom of the statute that were considered blasphemous at the time. I do want you to know is we have gotten the statue out of the basement, our first step, and are bringing it up and restoring it where it belongs, but I want to let you know that and thank you for your work. Thank you to all the witnesses. I know we are not going to be able to do a second round because of the vote schedule and other things, but thank you so much to all of you. I am really excited to get moving and look forward to working with the Smithsonian. Chairman Blunt. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar. Ms. Longoria. Thank you, Senator. Chairman Blunt. I am not--I don't believe any other Member is waiting to ask questions. I have one other question, if they don't. I think everybody is on the floor at this at this point or headed to the floor to vote. Thinking about the next 10 years, Ms. Rojas and Mr. Vargas, are you comfortable with the way the story is being moved in a new direction as to how we tell it? Is there enough input in telling the story, the Latino story, as part of the current structure of the Smithsonian? Ms. Rojas? Have you been asked for input on that? That would be another part of that question for both of you. Ms. Rojas. Yes, well, yes and I will turn to my colleague, Mr. Vargas, as well, but yes, I believe that we have been able to--this has been a journey, obviously. We have been very actively seeking input and content along the way and with advocates like Ms. Longoria. You know, we have many people that are also thinking about this actively and how we can make--how we can create the most robust storytelling that we can and obviously trying to project out, you know, who we should be talking to now for what, you know, because as you said, 2034. We have to certainly be curating all the potential content that we believe, but I think we have--I believe we have great resources and talent. Thinking about that, Danny, I would ask you as well to weigh in. Mr. Vargas. Thank you--we applaud strongly the efforts of the Smithsonian Latino Center. They have done wonderful work in terms of making sure that they are able to build a bench of curators and professionals within the museum community. They are incorporating exhibits into other Smithsonian Institution museums. They have got the Molina Gallery coming up soon. We strongly support their efforts and we applaud what they have been able to do, but I will tell you, as one of the former commissioners on the Commission, we travel all over the country reaching out to audiences from California to New York and Puerto Rico and everything in between. What we heard was that there was a strong need and desire to be able to tell this incredibly complex story. This is a story of not just the origin of the United States of America, but also the ongoing evolution of the Latino community in the country, 23 or 24 different countries of origin over time, the diaspora. It is a complex, multidimensional journey through time and space. To be able to tell that story well is going to require a full museum, full complement of museum professionals and curators. I think the Latino Center is an important, significant first step, but until we have a full museum over the next 10 years or so, I think that story is still yet to be told well and completely. Chairman Blunt. Well, thank you. Thanks to all of our witnesses. The record will remain open for 1 week from today. The committee is adjourned. [Whereupon, at 11:31 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.] APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED ---------- [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] [all]