§80u National Museum of the American Latino

Summary

Creates the National Museum of the American Latino inside the Smithsonian. The museum must tell the story of the United States by highlighting Latino contributions. It will collect, study, exhibit, and teach about Latino life, history, art, culture, science, military service, entrepreneurship, and popular culture. The museum must work with other Smithsonian museums, schools, and institutions. A Director, chosen by the Secretary of the Smithsonian with input from the Museum’s Board of Trustees, will run the museum. The Board of Trustees will have up to 19 voting members and must include the Secretary, the Under Secretary for Museums and Research, the chair of the Smithsonian National Latino Board, one Regent, two Members of Congress (one from each party, named by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Conference), and 13 people appointed by the Board of Regents with attention to political and geographic diversity. The Board recommends location and budgets, adopts bylaws, reports yearly, advises the Regents, decides on buying or selling collection items (under Regents’ general policies), and must make exhibits reflect diverse political views. Members serve 3-year terms, with initial staggered terms of five for 1 year, four for 2 years, and four for 3 years; no one may serve more than two full terms. Initial appointments must be made no later than 180 days after December 27, 2020, and the Board must meet at least twice a year. The Director may run educational and outreach programs and work with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on grants. IMLS, in consultation with the Museum, will run grant and scholarship programs to help American Latino museums (not this new Museum) with operations, internships, training, scholarships, and endowments. Congress authorized $15,000,000 for those grants for fiscal year 2021 and such sums as needed for 2022 and later. Congress also authorized $20,000,000 to the Smithsonian for fiscal year 2021 for other work here and such sums as needed after that; these funds remain available until spent and may be used for private fundraising. The Board of Regents must pick a site in the District of Columbia within 2 years after December 27, 2020, and must consider four specific sites and consult many federal and local agencies. Building costs must be paid 50% from Federal funds and 50% from non-Federal sources. Contracts and payments under this law depend on future appropriations. Definitions used in the law include Board of Regents, Board of Trustees, Director, Museum, and Secretary.