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Sen. Cory Gardner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Getty Images)
Congressional leaders have hashed out a massive, year-end catchall bill that combines $900 billion in Covid-19 aid with a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill and reams of other unfinished legislation on taxes, energy, education and health care. Since the details of the bill came to light, Americans strongly criticized major sections of it. Internet strongly slammed the government for allocating $600 stimulus checks and $300 bonus benefits. Now, the bill is getting backlash for the amount of $1 Billion, which is allocated for the creation of two new Smithsonian Museums.
A whopping amount of $1 Billion will be used to build two new Smithsonian museums. The two museums will be, the Womenâs History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino as new Smithsonian museums located near the National Mall, Washington DC.
Congress passes legislation to create Smithsonian museums on Latino and women’s history N dea Yancey-Bragg and Nicholas Wu, USA TODAY
Congress approved legislation Monday that would create Smithsonian museums for Latino and women s history as part of the nearly $900 billion COVID-19 relief package.
Two separate proposals for the National Museum of the American Latino and Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum were blocked this month.
The museums would be funded by splitting private donations and public money. A congressional report in 2011 estimated that the more than 310,000-square-foot Latino museum would cost $600 million, and the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated last year that the women s museum would cost $375 million over the next decade based on a size estimate of 350,000 square feet.
Latin Americans have been part of the United States s history since before the country was formed, but it s taken more than two centuries for them to be recognized in the nation s capital. Now, a new Smithsonian museum will honor their culture, contributions and legacy.
“For almost 500 years, since the founding of St. Augustine, Florida, Latinos have made significant contributions to the history, heritage, art, sciences, culture, geography and military accomplishments of our great country, but unfortunately that story isn’t currently reflective in our national museums,” said activist and designer Henry Muñoz in a release.
The legislation establishing the museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution was first introduced by Rep. Jose Serrano of New York in April 2019 and passed the Senate on Dec. 3. Serrano, a Puerto Rican who has represented the Bronx since 1990, is retiring due to a diagnosis of Parkinson s disease and will be succeeded by Ritchie Torres, the first open
By PEGGY MCGLONE | The Washington Post | Published: December 22, 2020 WASHINGTON The 5,500-page spending and relief bill that Congress passed Monday night includes the authorization of two Smithsonian museums one focused on the American Latino, the other on American women that pave the way for the world s largest museum complex to become even more diverse. The omnibus bill calls on the Smithsonian to begin the lengthy process of creating the National Museum of the American Latino and the American Women s History Museum by giving the quasi-federal institution permission to hire staff members, collect objects and present programs aimed at telling the stories unique to the groups.