[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 15, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2758-H2759]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM ACT
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1703) to amend title 40, United States Code, to require the
Administrator of General Services to enter into a cooperative agreement
with the National Children's Museum to provide the National Children's
Museum rental space without charge in the Ronald Reagan Building and
International Trade Center, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1703
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 ``National Children's Museum
Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003 (Public Law
108-81) designated the Capital Children's Museum, the
predecessor to the National Children's Museum, as the
``National Children's Museum'';
(2) the National Children's Museum operates under section
501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is
organized under the laws of the District of Columbia;
(3) the mission of the National Children's Museum is to
inspire children to care about and change the world; and
(4) the National Children's Museum is located in the
federally owned Ronald Reagan Building and International
Trade Center.
(b) National Children's Museum.--Chapter 67 of title 40,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``Sec. 6735. National Children's Museum
``(a) In General.-- Not later than 30 days after the date
of enactment of this section, the Administrator of General
Services shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the
National Children's Museum for the operation of the National
Children's Museum in the approximately 32,369 square feet of
space commonly known as suite C-001 (hereinafter referred to
as the `Space') of the Ronald Reagan Building and
International Trade Center for the duration of the retail
space license agreement between Trade Center Management
Associates, LLC, or a successor entity, and the Museum, dated
December 4, 2017, including any exercised renewal options.
``(b) Contents.--The cooperative agreement under subsection
(a) shall include provisions that--
``(1) require, for the period in which the General Services
Administration owns or controls the Space, the General
Services Administration to provide rent for the Space;
``(2) terminate such agreement if--
``(A) the Museum does not continue to qualify as a
nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
``(B) the Museum no longer uses the Space as a children's
museum; and
``(3) prohibits the Museum from transferring the interest
in such agreement.
``(c) Source of Funds.--To carry out this section, the
Administrator shall use funds derived from--
``(1) the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation fund;
or
``(2) the International Trade Center fund.
``(d) Report.--The cooperative agreement under subsection
(a) shall require the National Children's Museum to submit to
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and
Public Works of the Senate an annual report on the operations
and finances of the Museum.''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 67 of
title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``6735. National Children's Museum.''.
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Rodney Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
General Leave
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days within which to extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 1703, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
There was no objection.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1703, the National
Children's Museum Act, which I have sponsored. Last Congress, the House
passed this bill by voice vote.
[[Page H2759]]
This bipartisan, bicameral bill, which I introduced with Republican
Rodney Davis of Illinois and which has been introduced in the Senate by
Democrat Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Republican Shelley Moore
Capito of West Virginia would require the General Services
Administration to enter into a cooperative agreement with the National
Children's Museum, a congressionally designated museum, to allow the
museum to remain in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade
Center, a Federally owned building in the Nation's capital without
charge for the duration of its existing lease.
The National Building Museum operates under such an agreement. The
National Children's Museum is the only congressionally designated
museum required to pay rent in a Federal building.
Originally named the Capital Children's Museum, the museum was a
staple in D.C. for decades. The museum opened in 1974 in a former
convent on H Street Northeast. In 2003, Congress recognized the immense
value of having a children's museum in the Nation's capital and
officially designated the museum as the National Children's Museum.
After being closed for several years, the museum reopened last year
in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in
downtown D.C. where it immediately attracted visitors from throughout
the Nation's capital and the entire Nation. However, only 18 days
later, the coronavirus pandemic forced the museum to close its physical
space.
Still, the museum continued to offer valuable online resources to our
children as they navigated new, challenging learning circumstances,
including over 75 at-home experiment and project video programs and
monthly podcasts. The museum has served teachers in 45 States and the
District through its virtual field trips since the pandemic began.
However, due to revenue losses during the pandemic and other costs, the
museum has said it will close permanently without enactment of this
bill.
This bill would allow the National Children's Museum to continue to
benefit the millions who visit and live in the Nation's capital and the
national capital region.
Madam Speaker, I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
I am pleased to lead this effort with my good friend and colleague,
the chair of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, Ms. Norton.
As Congresswoman Norton said, this important legislation directs the
General Services Administration to provide rent relief to the National
Children's Museum that is currently housed in the Ronald Reagan
Building and International Trade Center right here in Washington, D.C.
Currently, the museum is the only federally designated museum sitting
in a Federal building that is required to pay rent. This bill will give
the museum the same benefits afforded to other congressionally
designated museums.
Prepandemic, the museum offered our children the ability to interact
with exhibits that were focused on science, technology, engineering,
arts, and math. And that allowed children to foster a greater
appreciation for our STEM fields.
As our country reopens and we look to the future, the museum will
continue to build off that success and become even more valuable of a
resource for our youth. In that spirit, I actually look forward to
visiting with some of my colleagues soon and talking about this
important bill. It is just frustrating that it is the only museum that
is congressionally directed that has to pay another government agency,
the GSA, for rent when they weren't allowed to be open.
So this is a commonsense bill. It has been great to work with
Congresswoman Norton, and I support this legislation.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the remarks of my good
friend, Mr. Davis, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I thank Ms. Norton for
her cooperation on this. It is great to be back on the floor and see
everybody. I enjoy this greatly. I certainly hope everybody supports
this commonsense bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, like my friend, I urge my colleagues to
support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1703, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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