[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2807-S2810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS EXPANSION ACT

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 1727) to authorize 
funding for the expansion annex of the historic Palace of the 
Governors, a public history museum located, and relating to the history 
of Hispanic and Native American culture, in the Southwest and for other 
purposes, which had been reported from the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources, with amendments; as follows:
  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface 
brackets and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are shown in 
italic.)

                                S. 1727

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       (a) Short Title.--This act may be cited as ``Palace of the 
     Governors Expansion Act''.

     SEC. 2. CONSTRUCTION OF PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS EXPANSION.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The United States has an enriched legacy of Hispanic 
     influence in politics, government, economic development and 
     cultural expression.
       (2) The Palace of the Governors has been the center of 
     administrative and cultural activity over a vast region of 
     the Southwest since its construction as New Mexico's second 
     capitol in Santa Fe by Governor Pedro de Peralta in 1610.
       (3) The Palace of the Governors is the oldest continuously 
     occupied public building in [the] the contiguous United 
     States and has been occupied for 390 years.
       (4) Since its creation the Museum of New Mexico has worked 
     to protect and promote Southwest, Hispanic and Native 
     American arts and crafts.
       (5) The Palace of the Governors is the history division of 
     the Museum of New Mexico and was once proposed by Teddy 
     Roosevelt to be part of the Smithsonian Museum and known as 
     the ``Smithsonian West.''
       (6) The Museum has a extensive and priceless collection of:
       (A) Spanish Colonial and Iberian Colonial paintings 
     including the Sagesser Hyde paintings on buffalo hide dating 
     back to 1706.
       (B) Pre-Columbian Art.
       (C) Historic artifacts including:
       (i) Helmets and armor worn by the Don Juan Onate expedition 
     conquistadors who established the first capital in the United 
     States, San Juan de los Caballeros, in July of 1598.
       (ii) The Vara Stick used to measure land grants and other 
     real property boundaries in Dona Ana County, New Mexico.
       [(iii) The Columbus, New Mexico Railway Station clock that 
     was shot, stopping the pendulum, freezing for all history the 
     moment when Pancho Villa's raid began. It marks the beginning 
     of the last invasion of the continental United States.]
       [(iv)] (iii) The field desk of Brigadier General Stephen 
     Watts Kearny who was posted to New Mexico during the Mexican 
     War and whose Army of the West traveled the Santa Fe trail to 
     occupy the territories of New Mexico and California.
       [(v)] (iv) More than 800,000 other historic photographs, 
     guns, costumes, maps, books and handicrafts.
       (7) The Palace of the Governors and the Sagesser Hyde 
     paintings were designated National Treasures by the National 
     Trust for Historic Preservation.
       (8) The facilities both for exhibiting and storage of this 
     irreplaceable collection are so totally inadequate and 
     dangerously unsuitable that there existence is endangered and 
     their preservation is in jeopardy.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Annex.--The term ``Annex'' means the Palace of the 
     Governors, Museum of New Mexico addition to be located 
     directly behind the historic Palace of the Governors 
     building at 110 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Interior.
       (c) Construction of the Annex.--Subject to the availability 
     of appropriations, the Secretary shall award a grant to New 
     Mexico to pay for the Federal share of the costs of the final 
     design, construction, furnishing and equipping of the Palace 
     of the Governors Expansion Annex that will be located 
     directly behind the historic Palace of the Governors at 110 
     Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
       (d) Grant Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--In order to receive a grant awarded under 
     subsection (c), New Mexico, acting through the Office of 
     Cultural Affairs--
       (A) shall submit to the Secretary, within 30 days of the 
     date of enactment of this section, a copy of the 
     architectural blueprints

[[Page S2808]]

     for the Palace of the Governors Expansion Annex.
       (B) shall exercise due diligence to obtain an appropriation 
     from the New Mexico State Legislature for at least $8 
     million.
       (C) shall exercise due diligence to expeditiously execute a 
     memorandum of understanding recognizing that time is of the 
     essence for the construction for the Annex because 2010 marks 
     the 400th anniversary of the continuous occupation and use of 
     the Palace of the Governors.
       (2) Memorandum of understanding.--The memorandum of 
     understanding described in paragraph (1) shall provide--
       (A) the date of completion of the construction of the 
     Annex.
       (B) that Office of Cultural Affairs shall award the 
     contract for construction of the Annex in accordance with the 
     New Mexico Procurement Code; and
       (C) that the contract for the construction of the Annex 
     shall be awarded pursuant to a competitive bidding process.
       (3) Federal share.--The Federal share of the costs 
     described in subsection (c) shall be 50 percent.
       (4) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the costs 
     described in section (c) shall be in cash or in kind fairly 
     evaluated, including land, art and artifact collections, 
     plant, equipment, or services. The non-Federal share shall 
     include any contribution received by New Mexico for the 
     design, land acquisition, library acquisition, library 
     renovation, Palace of the Governors conservation, and 
     construction, furnishing, equipping of the Annex, or 
     donations of art collections to the Museum of New Mexico 
     prior to the date of enactment of this section. The non-
     Federal share of the costs described in subsection (c) shall 
     include the following:
       (A) Cost of the land at 110 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe, New 
     Mexico.
       (B) Library acquisition expenditures.
       (C) Library renovation expenditures.
       (D) Palace conservation expenditures.
       (E) New Mexico Foundation and other endowment funds.
       (F) Donations of art collections or other artifacts.
       (e) Use of Funds for Construction.--Furnishing and 
     Equipment.--Subject to funds being appropriated, the funds 
     received under a grant awarded under subsection (c) shall be 
     used only for the final design, construction, management, 
     inspection, furnishing and equipment of the Annex.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--Subject to funds 
     being appropriated, there is authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Secretary to carry out this section a total of 
     $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 and succeeding fiscal years. 
     Funds appropriated pursuant to the authority of the preceding 
     sentence shall remain available until expended but are 
     conditioned upon the New Mexico State legislature 
     appropriating at least $8 million between date of enactment 
     and 2010 and other non-federal sources providing enough 
     funds, when combined with the New Mexico State legislature 
     appropriations, to make this federal grant based on a fifty-
     fifty match.

  The amendment (No. 3099) was agreed to, as follows:


                           Amendment No. 3099

              (Purpose: To provide a complete substitute)

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Palace of the Governors 
     Annex Act''.

     SEC. 2. CONSTRUCTION OF PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS ANNEX, SANTA 
                   FE, NEW MEXICO.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) the United States has a rich legacy of Hispanic 
     influence in politics, government, economic development, and 
     cultural expression;
       (2) the Palace of the Governors--
       (A) has been the center of administrative and cultural 
     activity over a vast region of the Southwest since its 
     construction as New Mexico's second capitol in Santa Fe by 
     Governor Pedro de Peralta in 1610;
       (B) is the oldest continuously occupied public building in 
     the continental United States, having been occupied for 390 
     years; and
       (C) has been designated as a National Historic Landmark;
       (3) since its creation, the Museum of New Mexico has worked 
     to protect and promote Southwestern, Hispanic, and Native 
     American arts and crafts;
       (4) the Palace of the Governors houses the history division 
     of the Museum of New Mexico;
       (5) the Museum has an extensive, priceless, and 
     irreplaceable collection of--
       (A) Spanish Colonial paintings (including the Segesser Hide 
     Paintings, paintings on buffalo hide dating back to 1706);
       (B) pre-Columbian Art; and
       (C) historic artifacts, including--
       (i) helmets and armor worn by the Don Juan de Onate 
     expedition conquistadors who established the first capital in 
     the territory that is now the United States, San Juan de los 
     Caballeros, in July 1598;
       (ii) the Vara Stick used to measure land grants and other 
     real property boundaries in Dona Ana County, New Mexico;
       (iii) the Columbus, New Mexico Railway Station clock that 
     was shot, stopping the pendulum, freezing for all history the 
     moment when Pancho Villa's raid began;
       (iv) the field desk of Brigadier General Stephen Watts 
     Kearny, who was posted to New Mexico during the Mexican War 
     and whose Army of the West traveled the Santa Fe trail to 
     occupy the territories of New Mexico and California; and
       (v) more than 800,000 other historic photographs, guns, 
     costumes, maps, books, and handicrafts;
       (6) the Palace of the Governors and its contents are 
     included in the Mary C. Skaggs Centennial Collection of 
     America's Treasures;
       (7) the Palace of the Governors and the Segesser Hide 
     paintings have been declared national treasures by the 
     National Trust for Historic Preservation; and
       (8) time is of the essence in the construction of an annex 
     to the Palace of the Governors for the exhibition and storing 
     of the collection described in paragraph (5), because--
       (A) the existing facilities for exhibiting and storing the 
     collection are so inadequate and unsuitable that existence of 
     the collection is endangered and its preservation is in 
     jeopardy; and
       (B) 2010 marks the 400th anniversary of the continuous 
     occupation and use of the Palace of the Governors and is an 
     appropriate date for ensuring the continued viability of the 
     collection.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Annex.--The term ``Annex'' means the annex for the 
     Palace of the Governors of the Museum of New Mexico, to be 
     constructed behind the Palace of the Governors building at 
     110 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
       (2) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the State Office of 
     Cultural Affairs.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of New 
     Mexico.
       (c) Grant.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Secretary shall make a grant to the 
     Office to pay 50 percent of the costs of the final design, 
     construction, management, inspection, furnishing, and 
     equipping of the Annex.
       (2) Requirements.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, to receive a grant under this paragraph (1), 
     the Office shall--
       (A) submit to the Secretary a copy of the architectural 
     blueprints for the Annex; and
       (B) enter into a memorandum of understanding with the 
     Secretary under subsection (d).
       (d) Memorandum of Understanding.--At the request of the 
     Office, the Secretary shall enter into a memorandum of 
     understanding with the Office that--
       (1) requires that the Office award the contract for 
     construction of the Annex after a competitive bidding process 
     and in accordance with the New Mexico Procurement Code; and
       (2) specifies a date for completion of the Annex.
       (e) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the costs 
     of the final design, construction, management, inspection, 
     furnishing, and equipping of the Annex--
       (1) may be in cash or in kind fairly evaluated, including 
     land, art and artifact collections, plant, equipment, or 
     services; and
       (2) shall include any contribution received by the State 
     (including contributions from the New Mexico Foundation and 
     other endowment funds) for, and any expenditure made by the 
     State for, the Palace of the Governors or the Annex, 
     including--
       (A) design;
       (B) land acquisition (including the land at 110 Lincoln 
     Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico);
       (C) acquisitions for and renovation of the library;
       (D) conservation of the Palace of the Governors;
       (E) construction, management, inspection, furnishing, and 
     equipping of the Annex; and
       (F) donations of art collections and artifacts to the 
     Museum of New Mexico on or after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (f) Use of Funds.--The funds received under a grant awarded 
     under subsection (c) shall be used only for the final design, 
     construction, management, inspection, furnishing and 
     equipment of the Annex.
       (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), subject to the 
     availability of appropriations, there is authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
     $15,000,000, to remain available until expended.
       (2) Condition.--Paragraph (1) authorizes sums to be 
     appropriated on the condition that--
       (A) after the date of enactment of this Act and before 
     January 1, 2010, the State appropriate at least $8,000,000 to 
     pay the costs of the final design, construction, management, 
     inspection, furnishing, and equipping of the Annex; and
       (B) other non-Federal sources provide sufficient funds to 
     pay the remainder of the 50 percent non-Federal share of 
     those costs.

  The bill (S. 1727), as amended, was passed, as follows:

                                S. 1727

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Palace of the Governors 
     Annex Act''.

     SEC. 2. CONSTRUCTION OF PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS ANNEX, SANTA 
                   FE, NEW MEXICO.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--

[[Page S2809]]

       (1) the United States has a rich legacy of Hispanic 
     influence in politics, government, economic development, and 
     cultural expression;
       (2) the Palace of the Governors--
       (A) has been the center of administrative and cultural 
     activity over a vast region of the Southwest since its 
     construction as New Mexico's second capitol in Santa Fe by 
     Governor Pedro de Peralta in 1610;
       (B) is the oldest continuously occupied public building in 
     the continental United States, having been occupied for 390 
     years; and
       (C) has been designated as a National Historic Landmark;
       (3) since its creation, the Museum of New Mexico has worked 
     to protect and promote Southwestern, Hispanic, and Native 
     American arts and crafts;
       (4) the Palace of the Governors houses the history division 
     of the Museum of New Mexico;
       (5) the Museum has an extensive, priceless, and 
     irreplaceable collection of--
       (A) Spanish Colonial paintings (including the Segesser Hide 
     Paintings, paintings on buffalo hide dating back to 1706);
       (B) pre-Columbian Art; and
       (C) historic artifacts, including--
       (i) helmets and armor worn by the Don Juan de Onate 
     expedition conquistadors who established the first capital in 
     the territory that is now the United States, San Juan de los 
     Caballeros, in July 1598;
       (ii) the Vara Stick used to measure land grants and other 
     real property boundaries in Dona Ana County, New Mexico;
       (iii) the Columbus, New Mexico Railway Station clock that 
     was shot, stopping the pendulum, freezing for all history the 
     moment when Pancho Villa's raid began;
       (iv) the field desk of Brigadier General Stephen Watts 
     Kearny, who was posted to New Mexico during the Mexican War 
     and whose Army of the West traveled the Santa Fe trail to 
     occupy the territories of New Mexico and California; and
       (v) more than 800,000 other historic photographs, guns, 
     costumes, maps, books, and handicrafts;
       (6) the Palace of the Governors and its contents are 
     included in the Mary C. Skaggs Centennial Collection of 
     America's Treasures;
       (7) the Palace of the Governors and the Segesser Hide 
     paintings have been declared national treasures by the 
     National Trust for Historic Preservation; and
       (8) time is of the essence in the construction of an annex 
     to the Palace of the Governors for the exhibition and storing 
     of the collection described in paragraph (5), because--
       (A) the existing facilities for exhibiting and storing the 
     collection are so inadequate and unsuitable that existence of 
     the collection is endangered and its preservation is in 
     jeopardy; and
       (B) 2010 marks the 400th anniversary of the continuous 
     occupation and use of the Palace of the Governors and is an 
     appropriate date for ensuring the continued viability of the 
     collection.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Annex.--The term ``Annex'' means the annex for the 
     Palace of the Governors of the Museum of New Mexico, to be 
     constructed behind the Palace of the Governors building at 
     110 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
       (2) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the State Office of 
     Cultural Affairs.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of New 
     Mexico.
       (c) Grant.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Secretary shall make a grant to the 
     Office to pay 50 percent of the costs of the final design, 
     construction, management, inspection, furnishing, and 
     equipping of the Annex.
       (2) Requirements.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, to receive a grant under this paragraph (1), 
     the Office shall--
       (A) submit to the Secretary a copy of the architectural 
     blueprints for the Annex; and
       (B) enter into a memorandum of understanding with the 
     Secretary under subsection (d).
       (d) Memorandum of Understanding.--At the request of the 
     Office, the Secretary shall enter into a memorandum of 
     understanding with the Office that--
       (1) requires that the Office award the contract for 
     construction of the Annex after a competitive bidding process 
     and in accordance with the New Mexico Procurement Code; and
       (2) specifies a date for completion of the Annex.
       (e) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of the costs 
     of the final design, construction, management, inspection, 
     furnishing, and equipping of the Annex--
       (1) may be in cash or in kind fairly evaluated, including 
     land, art and artifact collections, plant, equipment, or 
     services; and
       (2) shall include any contribution received by the State 
     (including contributions from the New Mexico Foundation and 
     other endowment funds) for, and any expenditure made by the 
     State for, the Palace of the Governors or the Annex, 
     including--
       (A) design;
       (B) land acquisition (including the land at 110 Lincoln 
     Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico);
       (C) acquisitions for and renovation of the library;
       (D) conservation of the Palace of the Governors;
       (E) construction, management, inspection, furnishing, and 
     equipping of the Annex; and
       (F) donations of art collections and artifacts to the 
     Museum of New Mexico on or after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (f) Use of Funds.--The funds received under a grant awarded 
     under subsection (c) shall be used only for the final design, 
     construction, management, inspection, furnishing and 
     equipment of the Annex.
       (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), subject to the 
     availability of appropriations, there is authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
     $15,000,000, to remain available until expended.
       (2) Condition.--Paragraph (1) authorizes sums to be 
     appropriated on the condition that--
       (A) after the date of enactment of this Act and before 
     January 1, 2010, the State appropriate at least $8,000,000 to 
     pay the costs of the final design, construction, management, 
     inspection, furnishing, and equipping of the Annex; and
       (B) other non-Federal sources provide sufficient funds to 
     pay the remainder of the 50 percent non-Federal share of 
     those costs.

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I am pleased that the Palace of the 
Governors Annex Act has passed the Senate.
  In conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month, I introduced the Palace 
of the Governors Expansion Act last October. The palace is a symbol of 
Hispanic influence in the United States and truly shows the coming 
together of many cultures in the New World--the various native 
American, Hispanic, and Anglo peoples who have lived in the region for 
over four centuries.
  Since introducing this bill last October, the situation has become an 
emergency. Walls are crumbling, water pipes are leaking, plumbing is 
backing up threatening priceless documents.
  The bill would authorize the construction of the Palace of the 
Governors' Annex. It would preserve a priceless collection of Spanish 
colonial, Iberian colonial paintings, artifacts, maps, books, guns, 
costumes, photographs. The collection includes such historically unique 
items as the helmets and armor worn by the Don Juan Onate expedition 
conquistadors who established the first capital in the United States, 
San Juan de los Caballeros, in July 1598. It includes the Vara Stick, a 
type of yardstick used to measure land grants and other real property 
boundaries in Dona Ana County, NM.
  We have all heard of Geronimo. The collection includes a rifle 
dropped by one of his men during a raid in the Black Range area of 
western New Mexico.
  We have all heard of Pancho Villa. His activities in the Southwest 
come alive when viewing some of the artifacts included in the Palace of 
the Governors Collection. The Columbus, NM, railway station clock was 
shot in the pendulum, freezing for all history the moment that Pancho 
Villa's raid and invasion began. It is part of the collection, but you 
wouldn't know it because there is no room to display it.
  Brig. Gen. Stephen Watts Kearny was posted to New Mexico during the 
Mexican War. He commanded the Army of the West as they traveled from 
the Santa Fe Trail to occupy the territories of New Mexico and 
California. As Kearny traveled, he carried a field desk which he used 
to write letters, diaries, orders, and other historical documents. It 
is part of the collection, but you can't see it because there is no 
display space for it in the Palace of the Governors.
  Many of us have read books by D.H. Lawrence, but none of us has seen 
the note from his mother that is part of the collection.
  There are more than 800,000 other historic photographs, guns, 
costumes, maps, books, and handicrafts.
  Where are these treasures that Teddy Roosevelt wanted to make part of 
the Smithsonian housed now?
  Where is this collection designated as a National Treasure by the 
National Trust for Historic Preservation kept?
  In the basement of a 400-year-old building.
  It is a national travesty.
  This legislation would right this wrong by authorizing funds for a 
Palace of the Governors Expansion Annex. The entire project will cost 
$32 million. The legislation authorizes a $15 million federal grant if 
the museum can match the grant on a 50-50 basis.
  The Palace of the Governors has acquired a half block behind the 
current palace. Obtaining this valuable real estate is evidence of the 
ingenuity and

[[Page S2810]]

commitment of those involved in preserving the collection. Real estate 
near Santa Fe's plaza is seldom for sale at any price, much less an 
affordable price.
  The Palace of the Governors has been the center of administrative and 
cultural activity over a vast region in the Southwest since its 
construction as New Mexico's second capitol by Governor Pedro de 
Peralta in 1610. The building is the oldest continuously occupied 
public building in the United States. Since its creation, the Museum of 
New Mexico has worked to protect and promote Hispanic, Southwest, and 
native American arts and crafts.
  I hope the House will act expeditiously on this legislation to save 
this important collection.

                          ____________________