Status of Legislation

Museum Legislation

  • On March 31, 2017, Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Ed Royce (R-CA) introduced H.R. 19, the Women’s History Museum Act with 127 cosponsors. 
  • On June 29, 2017, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced S. 1498, the American Women’s History Museum Act with 11 cosponsors.
  • The legislation:
    • States that the nation deserves a national women’s history museum.
    • Establishes the museum.
    • H.R. 19 identifies two possible sites on the National Mall.
      • S. 1498 identifies two possible sites and allows for the Smithsonian Board of Regents to identify an additional site.
    • Requires private funds for the Museum construction.
    • Authorizes federal funds for the planning, design and operations of the Museum.
  • As of 8/9/17, H.R. 19 has more than 240 cosponsors and S. 1498 has more than 12.

 

Call to Action

  • Senators are urged to pass S. 1498 that will provide a building site on or near the National Mall. 
  • Members of Congress are urges to pass H.R. 19. 

NWHM has been working diligently to build a foundation to launch a comprehensive capital campaign to raise private funds to build the Museum. We look forward to working with Congress to build a strong public-private partnership.

 

About the National Women’s History Museum

  • The National Women’s History Museum educates, inspires, empowers, and shapes the future by integrating women’s distinctive history into the culture and history of the United States.
  • Founded in 1996, NWHM is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501 (c)(3) educational institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting and celebrating the diverse contributions that women have made to our society.
  • More than 55,000 individuals have supported the Museum, and current members represent women nationwide from all walks of life. The Board of Directors is national in composition and is being expanded to bring a diversity of perspective and depth of experience to the Museum.
  • More than 200 members of Congress support the Museum and its National Coalition of 53 women’s professional service and educational organizations represent more than 8.5 million members.
  • The Museum is a renowned leader in online women’s history education and has produced 26 online exhibits and more than 300 biographies. The Museum’s website receives more than 1.2 million visitors annually and has nearly 500,000 followers making it the fifth most popular museum on Facebook.

 

About the Congressional Commission

  • Created by an act of Congress in December 2014, the National Women’s History Museum fully funded a bipartisan Congressional Commission charged with studying and reporting recommendations about the governance, organizational structure, operations, fundraising and location of a National Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C.
  • The bipartisan legislation was co-sponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and U.S. Representatives Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY).
  • The Commission delivered its report to Congress in November 2016 recommending:
    • America deserves a physical national museum dedicated to integrating women’s distinctive contributions into our culture and history.
    • The Museum should be built on a highly prominent location close to other museums on or very close to the National Mall.
    • The Museum should be composed of a strong permanent collection with supplemental exhibits or objects on loan from other museums and archives, including components of the Smithsonian.

 

Our Vision

  • Build a world-class museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., that will show the full scope of women’s contributions to history and set the standard for how those contributions should occupy a prominent place in national discussions.
  • Invite men and women of diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to join NWHM at this critical point in our journey and help us make progress toward a future that more fully integrates women’s distinct contributions into our culture.
  • Create and become the very hub for women’s history in the United States. A hub that is inclusive and accessible to everyone. A hub that we will point to with pride and that will lead the way among nations advocating and celebrating women.
  • Build a physical presence and a growing, state-of-the-art online presence and a robust program that brings our collections to museums and schools around the country in collaboration and partnership with scholars, centers of learning, communities, and other institutions.

 

The National Women’s History Museum supports a strong public-private partnership to build the Museum.