President's Statement on the Introduction of H.R.19
Statement by Joan Wages, President and CEO National Women’s History Museum, On the Introduction of H.R. 19 the Smithsonian Women’s History Museum Act
Alexandria, Va. - “For more than 20 years the National Women’s History Museum has worked with members of Congress to designate a site to build a women’s history museum on the National Mall. The introduction of H.R. 19, the Smithsonian Women’s History Museum Act, is a positive step forward. We greatly appreciate Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s (D-NY) and Rep. Ed Royce’s (R-CA) leadership in introducing legislation that would make the Museum a reality.
“We believe our country deserves a Museum that educates, inspires, empowers and shapes the future by integrating women’s distinctive contributions into our culture and history. We support a strong public-private partnership that ensures the Museum takes its place among the other great museums in Washington, D.C.
“We look forward to continuing to work with Reps. Maloney and Royce, the appropriate Committee Members, our 55,000 members and all of our stakeholders to move it to passage in Congress.”
About the National Women's History Museum
Founded in 1996, the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) is an innovative museum dedicated to uncovering, interpreting, and celebrating women’s diverse contributions to society. A renowned leader in women’s history education, the Museum brings to life the countless untold stories of women throughout history, and serves as a space for all to inspire, experience, collaborate, and amplify women’s impact—past, present, and future. We strive to fundamentally change the way women and girls see their potential and power.
The NWHM fills in major omissions of women in history books and K-12 education, providing scholarly content and educational programming for teachers, students, and parents. We reach more than four million visitors each year through our online content and education programming and, in March 2023, mounted our first physical exhibit at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in downtown Washington, DC, We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC. The Museum is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)3. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and visit us at womenshistory.org.