[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3463]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO DESIGNATE THE NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM OF THE 
                             UNITED STATES

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                           HON. JIM McDERMOTT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2016

  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution to 
designate the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle, Washington as the 
National Nordic Museum of the United States.
  The museum celebrates a heritage with strong and proud ties to the 
region, with many Seattleites claiming ancestry from Nordic countries.
  As the only museum in the United States that encompasses a broader 
focus on all Nordic countries--including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, 
Norway and Sweden--the museum's prominence as a source of exhibits on 
Nordic culture and history is unparalleled. The museum's collections 
include not only items brought by Nordic immigrants from 1840 to 1920, 
but also contemporary objects from their descendants.
  The Nordic Heritage Museum has outgrown its current location, now 
undertaking the laudable albeit considerable effort to modernize its 
setting to suit its growing needs. The new location will include 
upgraded facilities and enable a broader series of exhibits in a more 
spacious setting. I am looking forward to seeing the museum expand its 
reach and thrive in its new location.
  I am fortunate and proud to represent a district that is home to such 
a rich array of cultural and historical gems. The Nordic Heritage 
Museum adds to the city's--indeed the region's--wealth of museums, and 
I am pleased to support an effort to strengthen its national esteem and 
recognition. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to 
designate it as the National Nordic Museum of the United States.

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