“Both native and foreign-born Latinos in the United States have influenced and enriched this country since our nation’s founding and continue to make significant contributions in academia, to the arts and the humanities, and in popular culture, for the benefit of all Americans. These contributions should and must be recognized on a scale that is fitting of those contributions.” – Congressman Xavier Becerra

The Latino community is a patriotic community of Americans who have served this nation since its inception and is more than 50 million strong today according to the latest 2010 Census figures.  Despite this strength, the story of Latinos’ contributions to the U.S. has yet to be fully told in a museum in the nation’s capital.

In March of 2013, Rep. Becerra and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), reintroduced bipartisan legislation in the House of Representatives (H.R. 1217) to authorize the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries building on the National Mall as the designated location of the Smithsonian American Latino Museum.  Majority Leader Reid (D-NV), US Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) also reintroduced companion legislation in the Senate.

In 2003, Rep. Becerra introduced bipartisan legislation to establish a federal commission to explore the viability of creating a “National Museum of the American Latino” in Washington, D.C. and in 2008, former President George W. Bush signed the legislation into law.  President Barack Obama and congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner, Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell appointed the 23 bi-partisan commissioners from across the nation who, under the administration of the Department of Interior and Secretary Ken Salazar, embarked on the process of exploring the key questions around the potential creation of a museum. 

On May 5, 2011, months ahead of schedule, the National Museum of the American Latino Commission submitted its final report to Congress and President Barack Obama with its findings and recommendations regarding the creation of a national museum focused on American Latino history, art and culture. 

Upon the Commission’s delivery of the report, Rep. Becerra delivered the following remarks:

Moving forward with the recommendations of the May 2011 report, Rep. Becerra introduced bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Majority Leader U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), and U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) to authorize the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries building on the National Mall as the designated location of a future Smithsonian American Latino Museum.

Upon the bill being passed by both chambers and signed into law by the President, the Smithsonian American Latino Museum would become the 20th museum within the Smithsonian Institution, forming part of the world's largest museum and research complex. 

RELATED ARTICLES TO THE MUSEUM

• July 19, 2012 - REP. BECERRA EMPHASIZES VALUES & PRIORITIES OF LATINOS WHICH STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMY & DEMOCRACY
• April 13, 2012 - Video: Rep. Becerra on Tavis Smiley (PBS)
• February 21, 2012 - REP. BECERRA VIDEO STATEMENT ON BLACK HISTORY MONTH, GROUND-BREAKING OF NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE
• November 15, 2011 - BECERRA, MENENDEZ, REID, RUBIO, AND ROS-LEHTINEN INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO AUTHORIZE AMERICAN LATINO MUSEUM ON THE NATIONAL MALL
• September 23, 2011 - REP. BECERRA APPOINTED TO THE SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE COUNCIL
• May 5, 2011 - REP. BECERRA ON THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO COMMISSION'S FINAL REPORT
• May 5, 2011 - Video: Rep. Becerra on the National Museum of the American Latino
• October 15, 2009 - Video: Commission on the National Museum of the American Latino Press Conference
• September 23, 2009 - COMMISSION BEGINS WORK TO STUDY THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO
• May 8, 2008 - ON REP. BECERRA'S MUSEUM BILL BECOMING LAW
• April 29, 2008 - REP. BECERRA'S LATINO MUSEUM LEGISLATION IS NOW HEADED TO THE WHITE HOUSE
• April 4, 2007 - THE LA CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSES REP. BECERRA'S MUSEUM LEGISLATION
• February 6, 2007 - NEXT STEP FOR REP. BECERRA'S LATINO MUSEUM LEGISLATION: THE UNITED STATES SENATE
• June 21, 2006 - NEXT STOP FOR REP. BECERRA'S MUSEUM LEGISLATION: THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
• May 5, 2005 - REP. BECERRA REINTRODUCES LATINO MUSEUM COMMISSION LEGISLATION
• July 22, 2004 - A Step Forward for Rep. Becerra's National Museum of the American Latino Legislation
• October 16, 2003 - First Step Taken To Create The National Museum Of The American Latino
• September 23, 2003 - New Legislation Will Look To Create The National Museum Of The American Latino