The creation of a national museum dedicated solely to the accomplishments and culture of Hispanic Americans will be one step closer to fruition should the House approve legislation Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-California, introduced Thursday.
The bill, co-authored by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Florida, would establish a commission to explore creating a national museum in Washington, D.C., focused on the artistic, cultural, and historical contributions of Hispanics. The proposed 23-member commission would specifically produce a national conference to discuss the museum's viability; a fundraising plan; and a report to Congress detailing a recommended plan of action.
"Although American Latinos have made and continue to make significant contributions to the culture and history of the United States, many of those contributions go unrecognized in the official narrative," Mr. Becerra said in a statement.
The legislation's chances for success look good. An identical bill passed unanimously in the House last September during the 109th Congress, but did not move further because the Senate didn't have a chance to vote on it.
The approval of a national museum would supplement the regional presence of other Hispanic museums and cultural exhibits, as well as the established Smithsonian Latino Center in Washington. The Smithsonian Institute established the center in 1997 to spotlight Hispanic heritage and culture and tasked it with facilitating the development of exhibitions, research, collections, and educational programs at the Smithsonian and its 18 affiliated organizations.
