Transcripts For CSPAN2 Smithsonian Institution Secretary Testifies On Museums 20240713

I am confident you will be able to be the man at the microphone. This is your First Official appearance and we are grateful to happy with us, secured a bunch appointment as historic and a number of ways, hes the first africanamerican secretary to lead the Smithsonian Institution as well as the first Museum Director who was later appointed secretary and around 75 years, he is a historian, something i really enjoy and he understands. Its a great combination of things and this is the fourth position the circuitry bunch has had at the smithsonian. Notably any of predecessors could claim in 1978 he began his smith odeon career in the space museum as Education Specialist in 11 years later he joined the National Museum of American History and most recently served as a founding director of the National Museum of American History and culture. As a founding director he led an 11 year effort in constructing the 400,000 squarefoot museum in helping raise the matching Public Private funds that match public funds and came up with the museum that tells a powerful story of that part of her history and in fact a lot over history. Congress established this in 1846 by a british scientist James Smithson who never visited the United States but he left his estate to the United States government to found, and establishment for the increase in diffusion of knowledge and that is the quote from mr. Smithson will and now were almost 175 years later at the smithsonian encompasses 19 museums and galleries, Numerous Research and educational facilities, the national zoo, a growing collection of 155 million objects and specimens. Years of experience at the smithsonian provide a unique perspective to look at the future of the smithsonian and is a newly invested secretary whose inherited the responsibility for the unique unmatched collection, of course the secretary also inherited the institution challenge in the aging facility, a deferred neatness backlog totaling 1 billion and im sure that will be one of the topics we talk about today. In the last two decades the smithsonian done the Square Footage while funding remain essentially flat. Under any circumstance that will not produce a very good result in wall doubling the institution added incredible capacity to see what americans count on the smithsonian for, it also added a burden that we havent been willing to make a maintenance and one of the things that he sees as one of his great responsibilities and when the secretary started his job we were in the middle of a fiveyear Strategic Plan or implementing a fiveyear Strategic Plan creating by his predecessor and i want to discuss with the secretary his thoughts on the plan and his vision on how it needs to change as we look at the reality of the obligations and opportunities out there before us. We are glad you are here and i want to call in todays Ranking Member senator udall for any comments you would like to make. Thank you very much. Thank you for those nice words and introduction. Great to be with you, your great friend and we really enjoyed looking at the display. I am very pleased to be here this morning to discuss the Smithsonian Institution and its programs and to welcome the new secretary Lonnie Bunche before the committee for the First Time Since his appointment. Im also proud to oversee the institution as both a member of the rules committee and is the Ranking Member of the appropriations subcommittee. In both worlds of work to make sure congress is an active partner with the Smithsonian Institution and provides the resources to meet its obligation for specific Educational Scientific and artistic life of this nation and i say im here sometimes on weekends and my wife and i go to many of your museums and its a marvelous display about so many important issues in American Life and around the world. I am proud that the Senate Subcommittee has worked in advance a bill that provides more than 1 billion and also includes new funding increases for security, Facility Maintenance and 1. 7 million in new funding for the Latino Center. I look forward to producing a final bill that would give the institution a strong budget for 2020. I welcome the chance to talk about the opportunity and challenges in supporting the great work that the smithsonian is doing here this morning and having a discussion about that. We know the smithsonian requires Real Investments to keep existing museum operating and expand the collections to tell the story of all americans and support the reach of the research and Educational Programs across the country. In particular, i expect well hear about the importance of congress committing the resources needed to meet the institutes maintenance and capital needs. The Capital Requirements clearly need to be a priority but will have the opportunity to talk about importance of congress authorizing museums to celebrate the history and Latino Community museums that would recognize and celebrate nation diverse heritage and whose authorization legislation enjoys broad and partisan support. In my View Congress should be able to do both things and support infrastructure in an exciting opportunity for the smithsonian to expand its footprint to include the new museums, i look forward to hearing from the secretary this morning as we talk about each of these priorities. Thank you for being here and i would yield back to the chairman. Thank you, senator. Secretary bunch you written statement will be made part of the record but id like for you to have a few moments to talk about that or all of that. Thank you very much. Members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. As you mentioned, my tenure is 14 secretary of the smithsonian began just the summer. However, my relationship at the smithsonian, many generations seems to me i am pleased and humbled to be the secretary of this institution that i love so much. The smithsonian appreciates ongoing support of congress, the ministration of the American People and we take seriously the role that we play in advancing the Educational Scientific and artistic life of this nation. Our collections are vast representing scope and depth of our historical cultural and scientific achievement. Were internationally respected scientific and Culture Institution that the cuttingedge research in many disciplines, the 21 libraries form the world raiders repository of knowledge. We have extensive array of education material of learners of all age can access online or in our classrooms or in our museums. The buildings host millions of those others over here. And the foundation on which we both programs in our research and scholarship. We have been successful in maintaining buildings while beyond their intended life like weve done with the space museum. But the truth is with a deferred maintenance backlog of nearly 1 billion there is much work to be done. All oversights that museums in the Research Galleries in addition to the lease basis, we must care for over 13. 9 squarefoot building. But the backlog of maintenance issues we reacted to problems and set of maintaining our assets. Since becoming secretary, i looked at the backlog with fresh eyes and in order to be more strategic in our approach are vast and directed the staff to analyze projects in any way. Rather than see the third child of a backlog, i want to analyze the maintenance projects building by building, system by system with this approach were better able to communicate our existing priority, develop a sense of federal dollars best spent in opportunities to address maintenance needs as part of a capital revitalization project. I believe addressing our maintenance backlog is a paramount importance to the future of the institution. In their Wisdom Congress and the ministration have recognized the investment and longterm care of our facility and supported steady increase in the maintenance budget. Many of the museums were built in the 1960s through 80s and need revitalization. Funding Preventative Care will result into reduced overall maintenance costs causing pure breakdown, save energy and decreased on plane closure. The planning and design funding requested in fy 2020 will address the future of the Smithsonian Castle in the arts and industry building. These projects represent the component of a 20 year plan for the south lot. A series of Capital Projects required after decades of deferred maintenance. During addition the collections have grown over 155 million objects. These objects need to be stored, maintained, cared for and prepared an exposition. Most of our visitors the collections we have largely defined the institution. Our collections are Vital National asset and were always striving to improve storage conditions, striking a balance between collections and access to them. The space the house or collections are not immune from deterioration. The maintenance has been deferred to the point of requiring capital investment. Our collections based framework outlines a strategy for improving all of our collection facilities. The smithsonian pressing infrastructure needs need and demand our immediate attention. Despite our best efforts, must enter much of our infrastructure continues to be below standards. We appreciate the support of congress in addressing her most visible project the renovation of the space museum. But just as important were grateful for the ongoing support of the daytoday maintenance into this institution. Finally let me say a few words about my plans and what i envision to do a secretary smithsonian. Under my leadership our goal is to reach 1 Million People worldwide. I envision a Virtual Initiative leveraging stateoftheart resources and innovative partnerships allowing domestic and International Audience to experience our scholarship, research, collections and new and exciting ways. If we are in 20 century audience we need viewer diverse. A critical part of making the news seems more diverse to include traditionally under your representative stories highlighting the stories of Asian American, american women, latino and asian but interpacific is vital and filling the goal. Under my leadership will make diversity in our collections and archives and expositions in the workforce a higher priority. As you know there are bills to establish latino pending for congress. As deemed in the Public Interest to move forward with these proposals its important that the smithsonian is considered in light at the priorities. A new museum will need funds for the creation and longterm operation of the facilities, the care of our collections and the ongoing success of the museum. Our work is also increase knowledge and never ending. As we continue to make new discoveries we have future generations and therefore i plan to reimagine the smithsonian role and Lifelong Learning by making the institution a leader in k12 education. Finally, what i want i want people to see the smithsonian as a resource and help them understand their lives, their universe, their history and our shared future. His for us to be a more universal voice, when the earned the American People and trust in us in a Convenient Power to increase our relevance and research. We want to be the place that matters for all americans. And thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify, im happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you, as i said were delighted youre here and look forward to the unique set of capacity and ability and understanding you bring to the smithsonian. You mentioned congress had provided money for maintenance and may be your generous on how you describe that but looking at the maintenance numbers in front of me, we dont seem to increase that very much, we went from 75 and a half million to 76 million in the next year and a good increase from 79 million in the year we just completed and were hoping to get to 85 and a half million in this budget, thats your request, were not where we ought to be when the appropriations finish. But clearly that is not doing the job. When you talk about your sense of going through every building in looking at the Building System in the building by building requirements, how you think that will help you prioritize and am i right in believing the number youre working with an deferred maintenance is out of billion dollars. Are deferred maintenance is a billion dollars and we have several important ways to address this. And there is always a need to increase the amount of money for maintenance. We do about 1 thats what we spend and we need to spend two to 3 . Into not only stop the backlog but to reduce it. In the meantime what i release by being more systematic we can only understand where the needs are, we can anticipate future needs because her goal is to have the knowledge and to do several things, first of all, really utilize the fact that the key to our success is to use both the maintenance budget and the Capital Budget and to be able to do things like weve done with the space museum and the renovation we were able to reduce and address over 200 million of deferred maintenance at the space museum. We want to look creatively of how we bring together the Capital Projects would deferred maintenance. One of the keys that is clear to me we need to spend our time, focus our attention on preventative maintenance. By looking were systematically we can anticipate what issues we may be able to do for based on maintenance on that. I hope we continue to grow our budget and support to do that. We will need som much more systematic and prioritized. And to make sure were using every opportunity that we can to leverage the resources to address the backlog. I would assume that there are some places where there addressing one problem and prevents the second problem which is getting worse. In the hp ac system thats not working can create other problems in the building, is that the thing you looking at . Exactly. If you look at what we need to do with the park in industry, if we can create a utility system that services all of that, it makes it easier for us to maintain. Were looking at the more creative, how to use the best technology to come up with solutions for the problems we will face. In my right the castle in the space there because of the system youre not able to use that space for what it was designed for . What we have to do the arts in industry building, that the building we spend a lot of money to stabilize, the exterior is strong and the roof is good and theres millions of dollars that need to turn that into a space that is usable or the public. While we use a space for my installation, we will have to do new systems and fit out the space so it works the general public, part of the challenge of the master plan is to look at the whole notion of the castle as well as our industry and how we use is better not to just serve as office space for our visitors and our public. Im sure will have time for a second round of questions and senator is the Ranking Member on the authorizing committee sue can get a couple of double strokes and by talking about the authorizing issues and not just looking at those as appropriated issues. We Work Together on the appropriation committee. I would allow him to have another hearing. Thank you. Chairman and Ranking Member i appreciate the opportunity. Obviously i have similar concerns about the maintenance backlog and wanting to do whatever we can to give either resources to address that. I want to talk to you is it 155 million objects . Yes. In you talk about the storage and is necessary to have a plan for that and you mention collection space framework plan . Can you talk more about that and other challenges youre facing and what we should be aware of. The somebody as a director of the museum i realize the only thing current in the smithsonian arts collection, Everything Else is fleeting and is crucially Important Press to preserve those collections but we have to realize we have to continue to build those collections as these stories are told no research is done. What weve looked at is creating the collection framework documented 2015 was so important. It was the first time he gave us an accurate sense of exactly what the conditions were in all the spaces and buildings, what equipment behalf and given us the strategic opportunity to move creatively to address the issue it will be decades to do this. But the support weve received we can do things that are really important. We been able to look at the sites that were the worst the head great deterioration in decontamination and we been able to decontaminate all of those artifacts looking ways to move them in with her support weve been able to build new spaces that can hold artifacts both adult and at the supreme campus. That allows us to address the most Serious Problems but also allows us to have the swing space that we need as for example as we moved to the air and space museum we have to move artifacts away and that will give us the storage to use down the road. When you talk about new opportunities and wanted to give you an inch of you being the founding director of the Smithsonian National africanAmerican History and culture because im a big supporter and my question to you, what opportunities you see in establishing the National Museum that we can work on now to bring this to for ration. If theres one thing its how to build a National Museum. In the challenge is to recognize that will have to build the money to build institution to maintain it and build the collections but also to make sure were bringing resources so we can handle our deferred maintenance. I think there are many issues to think about, issues if you will build in a Latino Museum, how does the money get allocated, when we both africanamerican museum there was no mechanism to be sure when federal money would come. That made it hard to strategize and plan and its also important to realize the forgettable new museums and also has a major impact on the central services. Security, maintenance and we have to realize there will be resources and a Museum Worthy of the smithsonian. With the rate resources in the right commitment clearly we could do the museum that will make people proud. Thank you. Into the staff. Thank you for all the good work. I really appreciate it. On the topic are you suggesting if we were going to do another private Public Partnership that we could do a better job as you raise the money knowing what points you needed to make one public money would follow. Exactly. Even if there was a mechanism that set a onetoone match or you knew as certain points along the construction process you can count on federal money. What we had to do was every year come back and some years we did well on capital and some years we do not and that made it difficult to move the museum along as quickly as i would like. Can we make it in 11 years, thats moving quick but some ways i think theres things ive learned that we can shortcut that a little bit. Thank you. Thank you secretary. For not just your service for being here today andrew long history in a distinguished build. Along the lines as senator cortez mesial not on the latino mosey him worth a 100 university of the 19th Amendment Group and the woman the right to vote. You mention this in your statement on the smithsonian American History museum act which im a cosponsor. Obviously youve talked about building a museum from the ground up, and you mention the perspective in terms of financing, i dont know if you have perspective here if this were to pass how that would come to for wishing . First of all if we do a museum on the history of american women is important to recognize is a story of individual woman and its a story that helps us understand what it means to be an american so we have to frame and on waterway so its a story that shaped everyone. I think what i am proud of is the fact that the smithsonian has an American Woman History Initiative which is allowing us to do important work that crosses throughout the smithsonian and allows us to look issues in a museum, how do you build collections, what kind of staff, the american Womens Initiative is a commitment it makes regardless of the future that we will make sure those stories are told in a way that is meaningful and accessible. Thank you. Im very much interested in that. The other thing from a rural state not too far away, West Virginia the smithsonian reaches broad into all 50 states and probably globally as well. Can you talk about what the efforts that theyre making to make sure you dont have to come to washington, d. C. That would be great. To enjoy the gifts that the smithsonian can give. I think you frame it in the right way, the wonders of the smithsonian deserve to be something that touches every school and every american home. In order to do that we have to build on the things that we do traditionally even better and think about how you create the virtual smithsonian. How do you take the collection, expertise of the smithsonian so people are not coming to see the Virtual Museum of American Space museum but the wonders of the smithsonian in ways that help them understand history to help them understand broader issues like identity and globalization and technology, what im committed to doing is really looking at how do we create the smithsonian, how do we bring in partners from around the country so we can have the reach because i think its important that the millions of people globally who want to come to the smithsonian should have the axis prepared the other side is to do a better job with their Affiliates Program and do a better job with the Exhibition Services to make sure we reach out and direct ways to Community Small and large. Let me ask you this, we had carla hayden and Congress Last week and a lot of what the direction theyre moving is the collection and all collections and youre talking about a Virtual Museum, are you working with the library of congress, it has to be a lot of intersection of all kinds of not just history but documentation and other things. We have worked more effectively with the library of congress and i partnered with them when our structure of the museum. I think tomorrow the library of congress in the United States and myself are sitting down to look at the things we can do coming up. The National Archive does have an exhibit on ratification of the 19th amendment and another put resources into that. I will not ask you the resource question because i know thats a big question, you could do anything if you have enough time, money and resources. So i appreciate what your doing with the resources you have and thank you so much for being here today. Thank you for the recognition and welcome again. Im going to focus on followup on senator cortez masto question on the Latino Museum and they have played an Important Role in the history of our nation for over 500 years in my home state of new mexico, that history in the ongoing influence is celebrated and its time for the National Institution to recognize and lift up the important contributions made by latinos and latinas in our country, our heritage and our history and our cultural path. Self identified hispanics and latinos make up one fifth of our population and represent the Largest Ethnic Group in the United States, thats why i cosponsored senator menendez bill to establish the smithsonian american Latino Museum. I also supported an amendment during for consideration during the bill which for provide 1. 5 million for the Latino Center and expand programming for existing museums. If the final bill includes the increase of what you plan to do with the additional funding and more broadly what steps are you taking to ensure the smithsonian is including the latino experience in all of its museums. One thing im proudest of is the fact during my entire career at the smithsonian we created the Latino Center. That has transformed the smithsonian. As you know the real power in the smithsonian are people who do the research and bring in the collections. What the Latino Center has allowed us to do is invite curators have the expertise and we can have the africanamerican museum or the art museums, we want to build on that in my senses any support we get will allow us to continue to hire people that will help the center do its work also as you know one thing really important for us the center is now following the pattern that we did the africanamerican museum, that was to create a gallery that would allow you to do exhibiti exhibition, hire staff, go to collections. Any of the resources we have will also go into that, its really important to demonstrate in very concrete ways, here is a space where story is always told. Thank you. Obviously i hope the work that the Latino Center is doing will lay the groundwork for the path of the legislation to create a new museum. I think its critical that Congress Take action not just to support your existing facilities but to build the new museum. When you and i last met we talked about the importance of meeting at the museum advocate and groups like the National Association of latino arts and culture, the National Council and Friends Group working in support of the museum creation and many others. Have you had the opportunity to meet with them and what you hear from them . I had opportunities to talk to individuals, not collective groups in a meeting with the hispanic caucus very soon, what im hearing is one a commitment for people to realize and recognize the smithsonian cares about the subject and want to do even more and theres a great deal of interest in having me come talk to people about how do we build the africanamerican museum, what are the steps and challenges, what i hear is great excitement and i think what i want to make sure as we share that excitement we make sure were doing very concrete things that people can see today the Lay Foundation for the future. The interior subcommittee built on the womens history and mission of the 3. 7 million in thiwhats it doing to current resources and the publics understanding of contribution of american women and how with the additional 1. 7 million to expand that and prepare for a current resume . Much like the Latino Center, being able to explore the history of american women really allows us to build collections which are key to a new museum and allows us to do exposition that cross boundaries so im excited were about to do exposition which will allow people to understand the lens through adolescence in women. Its really important to say i want to be sure they curators throughout the smithsonian have the guidance in the resources to measure issues of gender are excluded along every line. Thank you, senator udall. I think theres been 12 bills filed in this congress for looking at the potential for different museums or emphasis and museums. Today you mentioned Asian Pacific americans, latinos, latino americans in the Womens Museum part of this discussion. Assuming those would happen and its unreasonable to think all would happen or any of them will be in place with the decade, maybe we learned enough that if we got started would be ten years from now. Thats too long to tell all the stories as effectively as we can, are you coming to get his toy in the existing facilities which would mean telling less of the others, what what are plan b on all of those areas for the coming decade no matter what we decide to do in terms of its facility for those components of who we are. My career has been about expanding the canon, making sure we understand a rich diversity of america and not to explore the community but to help us understand who we are as americans. Im bringing that commitment to the smithsonian. It is my expectation we will build on the work of the Asian American Pacific Center that is doing important work helping us find new collection and the new story. As we create the virtual smithsonian, these issues should be at the heart so people could tap the present and understand latino issues, africanamerican issues, Asian American, gender, we are not waiting on any museum to be built, were committed to making sure the smithsonian represents america. And gives all of its visitors a better understanding of who we are by looking at us through different lens. The Park Services have now entered the second century and were getting very close to the beginning of the third century the smithsonian. The kmart publicprivate efforts, we let watch this closely at the arch which after 60 years needed a number of things done, it became a huge local an individual donor effort involved naming the have not been part of the park service in the past but it really min and e are parts of the smithsonian that it had a sponsor that has an exhibit that has a sponsor, is there any capacity for us to do some fundraising that would allow maintenance and return for recognition and parts of these facility. There is always a great opportunity to build and expand on the partnership. The truth of the matter is its difficult for us to find support from some of the behindthescenes but i think the notion that theyve done very well in the fundraising over the last decade has been able to find new partners who have brought resources to allow us to tell different stories and more important stories. My goal is to build the partnership and do the fundraising but also where theres opportunities for example, were looking at what could be the support for fixing the arts and industries. We are looking in those directions to find friends wherever we can. Those University President for four years and nobody wants to give money to the electrical system. On the other hand if you get money and part of the understanding is we will rewire the theater which currently has no patron and that something we ought to think about. And when you do think about the, the partnership can be we have the private partner for revenue and there has to be collaborative discussion as to what that partner with hope to have happen in our commitment is something to think about and im confident based on your past experience, you are giving up on and i think youll find support for that and encouragement in the congress if you go in that direction. Senator ouppercaseletter. Senator udall. Thank you for the recogniti recognition, secretary bunche as vice chairman of the senate many on indian affairs, i strongly support the tribes inherent right to exercise Self Government which includes their ability to protect and maintain triborough cultural path of money such as ceremonial and religious event recordings in many museums and universities who hold these recordings in their collections under current law it is possible that those culturally sensitive recordings could be released to the Public Domain which is a major concern for tribes across the country. Last week i brought this issue up with a library in a hearing before the committee and i was told the library is working with smithsonian on tradable engagement. Can i get your commitment to working with a library of congress into engager tribes on this important issue . Not only will we work with congress but weve done a lot of work in this particular area. One of the things weve done at the center for Cultural Heritage is created a shared stewardship collection policy. In allows us to look at the holdings to make sure native communities shaper collection policy, shaper access and we actually communicate and consult with those communities to make sure were not letting sacred music or issues that should not be in the broad public sewer doing the best we can to ensure that we are honoring the intangible native communities. And i think this is one of the most important things are doing because we will now take that shared stewardess notion and im going to ask the rest of the smithsonian to look at it so we have a policy that shapes the entire smithsonian. Thank you very much. He was looking ahead and cover my other question with the answer. I would say in summary that i really a standin for the Ranking Member, he is very proud of this collection and the idea that items from minnesota are displayed here today and i know the chairman is also very proud of what is happening with missouri. So thank you for bringing those and i really appreciate it. I had my mic on as we were talking about the original but pan. I think i have that. [laughter] we decided everybody has a bundt pan whether used or not. One isabel that senator udall is very familiar with with a provision to move forward with your proposal to purchase a building to serve and consolidate administrative headquarters, dissolving which do what you need to do to get that done . And as i recall we talked about that and there is the foundation of all which might circle back to my Public Private Partnership Efforts and you feel like the language as you see is adequate for you to do what you like to do their. I think the languages adequate and not ask my staff to go back and make sure there are not issues that i dont know about but its crucial to think of an innovative way to solve the problems that we have and by consolidating all of these leases we have in being able to use the federal support to paydown, it will allow us to save an awful lot of money for the federal government as we move forward and were very excited about tuna and i appreciate the language you helped us do that. Last thing ill ask is in terms of the plan. You feel like the plane is headed in the right direction, are there any modifications that youve had time to look at it . What is so powerful is the notion of relevance and impact. So im taking those words you making sure the heart of what i want to do. By focusing on the educational piece and looking at the virtual smithsonian also we can be the institution for the 21st century if we dont fix the problems that we have with our processes, hr and contrast and the likes. For me, the framework of the Strategic Plan is something i will build on and im just tweaking it to focus on education and the virtual smithsonian. Any other comments from the senators, sec. Bunche, thank you for joining us with a forward to your leadership at the smithsonian with unique background and unique gifts for this job and hope we continue to be an Committee Case and about that, the record will be open for one week from today and the committee is adjourned. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] the Bloomberg School Public Health hosted this event thank you for joining us today for what will be a compelling er