National Children's Museum Act
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5919) to amend title 40, United States Code, to require the Administrator of General Services to enter into a cooperative agreement with the National Children's Museum to provide the National Children's Museum rental space without charge in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5919
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Children's Museum Act''. SEC. 2. NATIONAL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-81) designated the Capital Children's Museum, the predecessor to the National Children's Museum, as the ``National Children's Museum'';
(2) the National Children's Museum operates under section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is organized under the laws of the District of Columbia;
(3) the mission of the National Children's Museum is to inspire children to care about and change the world; and
(4) the National Children's Museum is located in the federally-owned Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
(b) National Children's Museum.--Chapter 67 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Sec. 6735. National Children's Museum
``(a) In General.-- Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator of General Services shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the National Children's Museum for the operation of the National Children's Museum in the approximately 32,369 square feet of space commonly known as suite C-001 (hereinafter referred to as the `Space') of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center for the duration of the retail space license agreement between Trade Center Management Associates, LLC, or a successor entity, and the Museum, dated December 4, 2017, including any exercised renewal options.
``(b) Contents.--The cooperative agreement under subsection (a) shall include provisions that--
``(1) require, for the period in which the General Services Administration owns or controls the Space, the General Services Administration to provide rent for the Space; and
``(2) terminate such agreement if--
``(A) the Museum does not continue to qualify as a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
``(B) the Museum no longer uses the Space as a children's museum; and
``(3) prohibits the Museum from transferring the interest in such agreement.
``(c) Source of Funds.--To carry out this section, the Administrator shall use funds derived from--
``(1) the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation fund; or
``(2) the International Trade Center fund.
``(d) Report.--The cooperative agreement under subsection (a) shall require the National Children's Museum to submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate an annual report on the operations and finances of the Museum.''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 67 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``6735. National Children's Museum.''. SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. NORTON. 5919, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5919, the National Children's Museum Act. This is a bill that I wrote and am grateful that the House is considering it today. I thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for their support of this bill.
This bipartisan bill would require the General Services Administration to enter into a cooperative agreement with the National Children's Museum, a congressionally designated museum, to allow the museum to remain in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, as it is called, a federally owned building in the Nation's Capital, without charge for the duration of its existing lease. There is precedent for Congress' requiring the General Services Administration to enter into a cooperative agreement for the use of a Federal building in the District of Columbia by a private museum without charge. The National Building Museum operates under such an agreement.
This bill would allow the National Children's Museum--the Nation's first combination children's museum and science center--to remain centrally located in the Nation's Capital for the benefit of the millions who visit and live in the city and the national capital region. Originally named the Capital Children's Museum, the National Children's Museum was a staple in the District for decades. The institution opened in 1974 in a former convent on H Street Northeast. In 2003, Congress recognized the immense value of having a children's museum in D.C. and officially designated the museum as the National Children's Museum. Now the museum is bringing new and innovative science, technology, engineering, arts, and math--or STEAM--exhibits to the Nation's Capital, building on more than 30 years of educating D.C. children and families.
Importantly, this bill would relieve concerns about the ability of the museum to survive the coronavirus pandemic. When the museum reopened in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center this year, it immediately attracted many visitors from throughout the national capital region and the Nation but was forced by the pandemic to close 18 days later.
At this time, the museum remains temporarily closed until further notice. Still, the museum has continued to offer valuable STEAM resources to our children as they navigate these new challenging learning circumstances, including over 75 at-home experiment and project video programs, monthly podcasts, virtual field trips, and a Climate Action Heroes Digital Exhibit, among other resources.
When the museum does open, capacity will be restricted by at least 70 percent under social distancing guidelines. Due to the anticipated reduction in capacity, the museum is estimating operating revenues will amount to only 30 percent of the original goal for next year. Once returned to full capacity, the museum expects to serve half a million visitors a year, filling the STEAM content void in our Nation's Capital and throughout the country.
Despite the many benefits it brings to the Nation's Capital, the museum is an outlier. It is the only congressionally designated museum expected to pay rent in a Federal building. This bill will allow the museum to remain in its current Federal location and allow staff to focus on bringing 21st century STEAM learning techniques to the Nation's Capital.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source