WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Xavier Becerra’s (CA-31) vision of a national museum focused on the history, culture and art of American Latinos in Washington, D.C., came one major step closer to reality with today’s unanimous passage of H.R. 512, the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of the National Museum of the American Latino Act of 2007, in the House of Representatives.
H.R. 512, which was co-authored by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), sets up a 23 member commission charged with producing a national conference to bring stakeholders, experts, policymakers and other interested parties together to discuss the museum’s viability; a fundraising plan to create an extensive public-private partnership; and a report to Congress detailing a recommended plan of action on how to move forward with taking the museum from concept to reality. All of this will happen within 24 months of being signed into law.
“Walk through the National Mall in Washington, D.C., visit our outstanding national museums and you can learn a lot about who Americans are and where we have been,” Rep. Becerra said. “Yet the official narrative still fails to recognize the significant contributions made by Latinos to the culture and history of the United States. Today we take an important step toward rectifying this omission and ensuring that the mosaic portrayed in Washington’s museums truly reflects America.”
A word-for-word Senate companion bill was introduced today by Senators Ken Salazar (CO), Mel Martinez (FL) and Robert Menendez (NJ) and 20 other cosponsors.
An identical bill to H.R. 512 passed unanimously in the House September 27, 2006, during the 109th Congress (H.R. 2134). The Senate, however, did not vote on the legislation before the close of the session, thus necessitating today’s vote and subsequent victory.