[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 126 (Friday, September 19, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9725-S9726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AND THE BOY SCOUTS
Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to note a recent injustice
done to one of America's most valuable associations, the Boy Scouts, by
one of our most valued institutions, the Smithsonian. I also rise to
express my appreciation to Smithsonian Secretary I. Michael Heyman for
his assurance that such an injustice will not occur again in the
future.
Mr. President, in January of this year the Smithsonian Institution
denied an application from the Boy Scouts of America to use the
National Zoo's auditorium for a Court of Honor ceremony for District of
Columbia area Scouts.
Why would the Smithsonian deny such an application from a group known
for its commitment to environmental conservation? According to Robert
J. Hoage, Chief of the Smithsonian's Office of Public Affairs, the
Smithsonian's policy prohibits co-sponsoring events with any
organization that exercises bias on the basis of religious beliefs.
Asked about this decision, the Smithsonian's communications director,
David Umansky, explained: ``Our lawyers have documented cases of the
Boy Scouts denying membership to atheists, and that violates our non-
discrimination code.'' The Smithsonian also claimed that the honor
court event was not sufficiently relevant to the National Zoo's
mission. But that claim stretches credulity because of the Boy Scouts'
myriad programs devoted to environmental education and conservation.
Indeed, the Scouts' highest honor, awarded to only about 1,000 Scouts
since 1914, recognizes exceptional work for environmental conservation.
In a letter to my colleagues dated September 12, I expressed my
dismay that the Boy Scouts, an organization that has helped literally
millions of American boys reach responsible manhood, should be denied
access to a federally supported institution because it exercises its
constitutional right to free exercise of religion. I also expressed
concern that the Smithsonian Institution should enforce a policy
diametrically opposed to the principles on which our nation was
founded. The Smithsonian, our premier teaching museum, is entrusted
with, among other treasures, the Star Spangled Banner, the flag that
Francis Scott Key saw flying when he penned our national anthem. I
recently sponsored legislation appropriating $8 million to the
Smithsonian for restoration of that flag. I was frankly disturbed to
see that the institution to which it has been entrusted was acting in
this manner.
However, Mr. President, I am now relieved to report that Secretary
Heyman, in a September 15 letter to my distinguished colleague, Senator
Frist, who serves as a regent to that Institution, has apologized for
this action. Further, Secretary Heyman's letter expressed his
conviction that ``our special events policy clearly allows the
sponsorship of events by all groups, including religious groups, that
are consistent with the mission and tradition of the Smithsonian.''
Recent events at the Smithsonian, including the proposed Enola Gay
exhibit, with its misleading and inaccurate treatment of the Second
World War, and a number of new exhibits distorting history to cast
America and American values in a bad light, have caused me to worry
about the future of this distinguished and crucially important
institution. I thank Secretary Heyman for his courageous statement of
fundamental policy and hope that it heralds a new, more positive era at
the Smithsonian.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the full text of my
September 12 letter to my colleagues and the September 15 letter from
Secretary Heyman to Senator Frist be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC, September 12, 1997.
Smithsonian Snubs Boy Scouts
Dear Colleague: I want to bring to your attention the
latest in an unfortunate series of decisions made at the
Smithsonian Institution, America's premier teaching museum.
It has come to my attention that in January of this year the
Smithsonian denied an application from the Boy Scouts of
America to use the National Zoo's auditorium for a Court of
Honor ceremony for District of Columbia area Scouts. The
application was denied on the grounds that the scouts require
members to believe in God and that the event supposedly did
not meet the ``relevance requirement'' needed for Smithsonian
cosponsorship.
In a letter to T. Anthony Quinn, president for District
Operations for the National Capital Area of the Boy Scouts of
America, Robert J. Hoage, Chief of the Smithsonian's Office
of Public Affairs stated that ``the Smithsonian's policy
prohibits co-sponsoring events with any organization that
exercises bias on the basis of religious beliefs.'' Asked by
a reporter from the newsweekly Human Events to explain this
decision, David Umansky, communications director for the
Smithsonian responded: ``Our lawyers have documented cases of
the Boy Scouts denying membership to atheists, and that
violates our non-discrimination code.''
I find it deeply disturbing that the Boy Scouts, one of
America's most important private organizations, which has
helped literally millions of American boys reach responsible
manhood, should be denied access to a federally supported
institution because it exercises its Constitutional right to
free exercise of religion. I also am disturbed that the
Smithsonian Institution, the repository of so many objects
central to our heritage as a people, should enforce a policy
diametrically opposed to the principles on which our nation
was founded.
In an August 14 follow-up letter to Mr. Quinn, Smithsonian
Under Secretary Constance Berry Newman failed to so much as
mention the ``anti-discrimination'' motivation behind this
rejection. Instead the Under Secretary detailed two
Smithsonian events involving Boy Scouts, both of which took
place several years ago. Her argument was that Smithsonian
``policy emphasizes that the activity or event proposed by
the outside organization should have some Smithsonian
involvement and participation in the proposed activity or
event.'' That an event put on by the Boy Scouts, an
organization devoted to outdoor activities and knowledge of
the natural world, should be found ``irrelevant'' to the
National Zoo stretches credulity to the limit. Further,
recent events at the National Zoo clearly have had little to
do with that institution's mission. Events have included a
naturalization ceremony by the Immigration and Naturalization
Service and a Washington Singers musical concert.
I urge you to contact Smithsonian Secretary Michael Heyman
and/or members of his staff to express your deep concern that
the Boy Scouts, an institution of longstanding importance to
our culture, traditions and public life, is receiving such
inappropriate treatment. Further questions on this matter can
be directed to Bruce Frohnen of my office at extension 4-
8841.
Sincerely,
Spencer Abraham,
U.S. Senate.
____
Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, DC, September 15, 1997.
Hon. William H. Frist,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Frist: As was discussed in this morning's
meeting of the Board of Regents, and knowing of your concern
on this issue, I am writing to apologize for an unfortunate
decision that denied the use of facilities of the National
Zoo to District of Columbia Boy Scouts last February. In a
letter
[[Page S9726]]
denying the request, a determination was made that the event
did not comply with a requirement that all events be relevant
to the mission of the Smithsonian and further that the Boy
Scouts violated standards of non-discrimination with regards
to religion. I have reviewed this determination and reversed
it. Scouting is an important American institution that helps
in educating young men and women about the outdoors with
special emphasis on protection of the environment, a mission
relevant to and shared by the National Zoo.
Further, as I mentioned in our meeting, I believe that our
Special Events Policy clearly allows the sponsorship of
events by all groups, including religious groups, that are
consistent with the mission and tradition of the Smithsonian.
This event certainly complied with that standard and its
denial on that ground was in error.
The Smithsonian and the Scouts have over the years jointly
sponsored many events too numerous to mention here. I
apologize for this unfortunate mistake and look forward to
continuing our long standing and mutually productive
relationship with the Boy and Girl Scouts of America.
Sincerely,
I. Michael Heyman,
Secretary.
____________________