[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 190 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S7495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3992. Ms. ERNST (for herself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Cotton, and Mr. 
Padilla) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 
3867 submitted by Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 
4350, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022 for military 
activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and 
for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe 
military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1064. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE SURFACE NAVY.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The United States Surface Navy represents the millions 
     of sailors and thousands of ships that sail on oceans around 
     the world to ensure the safety and freedom of Americans and 
     all people.
       (2) The Battleship IOWA is an iconic Surface Navy vessel 
     that--
       (A) served as home to hundreds of thousands of sailors from 
     all 50 States; and
       (B) is recognized as a transformational feat of engineering 
     and innovation.
       (3) In 2012, the Navy donated the Battleship IOWA to the 
     Pacific Battleship Center, a nonprofit organization pursuant 
     to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
     after which the Center established the Battleship IOWA Museum 
     at the Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California.
       (4) The Battleship IOWA Museum is a museum and educational 
     institution that--
       (A) has welcomed millions of visitors from across the 
     United States and receives support from thousands of 
     Americans throughout the United States to preserve the legacy 
     of those who served on the Battleship IOWA and all Surface 
     Navy ships;
       (B) is home to Los Angeles Fleet Week, which has the 
     highest public engagement of any Fleet Week in the United 
     States and raises awareness of the importance of the Navy to 
     defending the United States, maintaining safe sea lanes, and 
     providing humanitarian assistance;
       (C) hosts numerous military activities, including 
     enlistments, re-enlistments, commissionings, promotions, and 
     community service days, with participants from throughout the 
     United States;
       (D) is a leader in museum engagement with innovative 
     exhibits, diverse programming, and use of technology;
       (E) is an on-site training platform for Federal, State, and 
     local law enforcement personnel to use for a variety of 
     training exercises, including urban search and rescue and 
     maritime security exercises;
       (F) is a partner with the Navy in carrying out Defense 
     Support of Civil Authorities efforts by supporting training 
     exercises and responses to crises, including the COVID-19 
     pandemic;
       (G) is a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
     education platform for thousands of students each year;
       (H) is an instrumental partner in the economic development 
     efforts along the Los Angeles waterfront by attracting 
     hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and improving the 
     quality of life for area residents; and
       (I) provides a safe place for--
       (i) veteran engagement and reintegration into the community 
     through programs and activities that provide a sense of 
     belonging to members of the Armed Forces and veterans; and
       (ii) proud Americans to come together in common purpose to 
     highlight the importance of service to community for the 
     future of the United States.
       (5) In January 2019, the Pacific Battleship Center received 
     a license for the rights of the National Museum of the 
     Surface Navy from the Navy for the purpose of building such 
     museum aboard the Battleship IOWA at the Port of Los Angeles.
       (6) The National Museum of the Surface Navy will--
       (A) be the official museum to honor millions of Americans 
     who have proudly served and continue to serve in the Surface 
     Navy since the founding of the Navy on October 13, 1775;
       (B) be a community-based and future-oriented museum that 
     will raise awareness and educate the public on the important 
     role of the Surface Navy in ensuring international relations, 
     maintaining safe sea transit for free trade, preventing 
     piracy, providing humanitarian assistance, and enhancing the 
     role of the United States throughout the world;
       (C) build on successes of the Battleship IOWA Museum by 
     introducing new exhibits and programs with a focus on 
     education, veterans, and community;
       (D) borrow and exhibit artifacts from the Navy and other 
     museums and individuals throughout the United States; and
       (E) work with individuals from the Surface Navy community 
     and the public to ensure that the story of the Surface Navy 
     community is accurately interpreted and represented.
       (b) Designation.--
       (1) In general.--The Battleship IOWA Museum, located in Los 
     Angeles, California, and managed by the Pacific Battleship 
     Center, shall be designated as the ``National Museum of the 
     Surface Navy''.
       (2) Purposes.--The purposes of the National Museum of the 
     Surface Navy shall be to--
       (A) provide and support--
       (i) a museum dedicated to the United States Surface Navy 
     community; and
       (ii) a platform for education, community, and veterans 
     programs;
       (B) preserve, maintain, and interpret artifacts, documents, 
     images, stories, and history collected by the museum; and
       (C) ensure that the American people understand the 
     importance of the Surface Navy in the continued freedom, 
     safety, and security of the United States.
                                 ______