Really understands. Its a great combination of things. This is the fourth position secretary bunch has had at the smithsonian. Something i dont believe any of your predecessors could claim in 1978 secretary bunch began his smithsonian career at the national air and space museum as an Education Specialist 11 years later he joined the National Museum of American History. He most recently served as the founding director of the National Museum of African American history and culture. As the founding director he led an 11 year effort in constructing the 400,000 squarefoot museum and helping raise the matching publicprivate private funds that match public funds and came up with the museum that tells an incredibly powerful story of that part of our history. And a lot of our history. Congress established the smithsonian in 1846 through uppercrust by a british scientist James Smithson who never visited the United States but he generously left his estate to the United States government to found
Committee. Secretary bunche outlines his priorities for the institution and efforts to reduce the maintenance backlog and comments on public, private partnerships is with sony and funding and the challenges for the National Latino museum. From earlier this month this is about 50 minutes. The committee on rules and administration will be called to order pretty good morning. I want to thank my colleagues for attending and before i can thank the secretary for bringing some of their great collection for us to look at but mr. Secretary, we are glad to have you and several people from your team here to back you up if you need it but im confident you will be able to be the man at that microphone they are. This is your First Official appearance before the Senate Rules Committee and we are grateful to have you with us. Secretary bunches appointment is historic in a number of ways in the first africanamerican secretary to lead the Smithsonian Institution as well as the first Museum Director who
To order. The National Museum of the american latino act. Under Committee Role as they are limited to the chair and the ranking minority member. Therefore i ask unanimous consent that all other members be made part of a curing Record Record if they are submitted to the clerk 5 00 p. M. Today tiered hearing no objection so order. In addition to the broad interest in todays hearing i would like to ask unanimous consent that all interested members be allowed to join us and participate on the dais. Before we get started, i would like to take, i would like to take a point of personal privilege and have a moment of silence for our friends. Our colleague. Defender of justice and inequality. And humanity. Mr. Elisha cummings. Thank you all so much. Thank you for attending the subcommittee. Legislative hearing on the National Museum of the american latino act. A proposal i am proud to cosponsor along with over 200 of my colleagues. I would like to extend my gratitude to the representative as we
Im going morning. The subcommittee on National Parks forest and public lands will now come to order. The subcommittee is meeting today to hear testimony on hr 2420, the National Museum of the american latino act. On Committee Rule for is, any Opening Statements and hearings are limited to the chair and ranking minority members. Therefore i ask unanimous consent that all of her members Opening Statements be made part of the hearing record if they are submitted to the course by 5 00 p. M. Today. The hearing no objections, so ordered. In addition to the broad interest in todays hearing i would like to ask unanimous consent and all interested members to join us and participate. And before we get started, i would like to take a point of personal privilege and have a moment of. [silence] for our friend, our colleague, defender of justice and equality, and humidity mr. Elijah cummings. [background sounds] thank you all so much. Thank you for attending the subcommittee on National Forest and p
Well, i understand the raking member is on his way. Since we have kind of a tight schedule and we have a quorum, ill start and he can give his Opening Statement. Here he is now. The committee will come to order. We want to welcome everyone on this hearing providing oversight to the Smithsonian Institution. In 1836 congress accepted a bequest from james smithson, an english scientist who had never visited the United States but nevertheless decided to leave his substantial fortune to our Young Country for the increase in diffusion of knowledge. Ten years later in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution was formally established by congress. In the 173 years since, the smithsonian has grown to a complex of 19 museums, Numerous Research centers, a library system, a network of more than 200 affiliate organizations, archives and the national zoo. Today the smithsonian serves as steward to more than 154 million artifacts, works of art and specimens. Visitors from across the country and around the wo