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Committee approves Smithsonian women’s museum bill after heated debate over site and content
Summary
The committee voted to report H.R.1329, authorizing construction of a Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, but approved a controversial amendment that drew sustained bipartisan criticism for granting site and content authority and for restricting the museum’s focus; the measure passed committee by recorded vote.
The House Committee on Administration ordered H.R.1329, the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act, favorably reported to the House after adopting an amendment in the nature of a substitute and voting 7-4 on the final report.
Representative Miller, who offered the substitute, said the bill would allow the Smithsonian to move forward with construction of a museum to honor American women's contributions and argued the amendment places guardrails on the museum's content and location. "My amendment specifically ensures that only biological women are honored and celebrated in this museum," Miller said, and the amendment also marked a specific site on the National Mall.
Opponents across the aisle said the amendment politicized a previously bipartisan process, gave the President discretion to override Smithsonian site recommendations, and risked excluding the National Museum of the American Latino. Mr. Monroe and Representative Lee urged that both museums move forward together and warned the changes would alienate the bipartisan coalition that had moved these projects toward the Mall. "We would not be considering a bill that gives the President unilateral authority over site selection and design," one member said, describing the change as a departure from prior bipartisan language.
Representative Torres offered an amendment to combine H.R.1329 with H.R.1330 (the National Museum of the American Latino bill) and to remove statutory barriers that have delayed both museums; that amendment failed on a recorded vote, with the clerk reporting seven no votes and four ayes. The committee then adopted Representative Miller's amendment and ordered H.R.1329, as amended, reported favorably to the House; the clerk recorded the final tally as seven ayes and four nays.
The debate focused on three issues: whether the bill preserves a nonpartisan Smithsonian role in curating history, whether the President should have authority to designate an alternative site or otherwise influence placement, and whether the Latino museum should be treated jointly with the women's museum. Members on both sides stressed their support for honoring women's and Latino histories while disagreeing sharply on the path forward.
Next steps: H.R.1329, as amended, will be sent to the House floor; the record authorizes committee staff to make technical and conforming changes.
