History of the smithsonian. At one time it was included by the national trust, one of the most endangered Historic Sites me United States. It was closed in 2004 for renovation, and it was spring, almost 10 years later that they mentioned they would use it for shortterm exhibits. Could you update the committee on how you see the arts and industry buildings on your campus. The current condition of the building, and when will you finally be able to host events . Is the challenge still adequate plumbing and hvac systems there . And i hope you also talk to congress about renovating the gardens there, too. They are adjacent to the building. Dr. Skorton i will talk specifically about the Arts Industries building, and if you have more specific questions about the gardens are the areas surrounding i will answer those as well. I have one of these dream jobs. I have a tree office that looks right at the capital. In my linef sat e, of young people enjoy, i often focus on the Art Industries building and asked myself the first time i came for interviews nearly two years ago, what are we going to do with this beautiful victorian building . The second oldest in the smithsonian universe. Only recently has the building been reopened. The systems you mentioned are up and running now. I asked for it to be their last october. Think you for recognizing that. It was a beautiful chance to use the building. And so it is ready for those occasional uses right now. We are opening it for those kinds of uses this year. We are beginning to plan and are now at the point where i have something concrete and intelligent to share with you about more strategic uses of the building going forward. It is another one of those areas where we need to stay in touch with this and the other subcommittees to oversee the funds for the smithsonian. But this will be the year where you will see more use made of that building. Ms. Mccollum thank you, i will followup with your staff on other questions. Wonderful exhibits. Thank you for all you do for us. Thank you, mr. Chair. Thank you to everybody who brought such interesting exhibits for us to see. That was really a pleasure. We are very appreciative of the work that you do. I echo all the things that they said earlier. I want to talk a little about the things you say you do to the smithsonian, outside of d. C. We have been fortunate to work with you on a variety of things. Recently, the Portland Museum of art had a retrospective on realism, which we were able to do with the cooperation of the smithsonian. That is really important for small states like maine, that do not have the resources, and can access your resources. I wanted to talk to you about the program that is growing within the smithsonian. It is an important part of what you do in research. A lot of coastal communities interested in things like climate change, but we do not have a marine geode site in maine. Well be able to expand the number of partner sites . Have you thought about how you could work with more narrowly focused organizations interested in becoming research sites, either by allowing Additional Resources to expand research, or allow them to contribute . Dr. Skorton thank you very much. I hear two important questions embedded in what you asked me. Let me take a moment to talk about our activities outside of d. C. It is really important. It is a lucky subset of the United States that can get to them all. It is expensive to get here. One of my predecessors began a vigorous thrust on igitization. Those who have access to the internet, most but not all, can review major parts of the collection. And also cap, also, being in the public sector, where the taxpayers are paying for it in every corner of the country, it is extremely important that we are responsive to their appetite to taste the smithsonian. The traveling exhibition service, embedded in your comments about the Portland Museum, we have other projects on the research and, that touch the nation and the world. Our mission, which was part of the letter to establish the endowment, 107 years ago, our mission is to increase and diffusion of knowledge. We talk a lot about the diffusion of knowledge, the interface between the public in these unbelievable collections. But the Research Part is unbelievably important, whether we are talking about zika, climate change, you name t. In that geode consortio were set up for the research thinking of the smithsonian touching communities everywhere nd help improve knowledge. And so, for those who are not familiar with it, the marine geode examines coastal waterways. Coastal waterways are very important because that is where there is a tremendous concentration of life forms. In our country, a tremendous population. The interaction between the human population in the wildlife that lives at the edge of the coastal areas is very important to study. We do not have enough funding so far to expand to the extent that i would like to expand. We do have a request as part of this to continue staffing and planning for marine geode. It was made possible for a combination of your support and generous contributions of individuals from the national board. It is my hope to leverage the funds through true philanthropy so we can begin to think more broadly about bringing more partners on. We have very good intentions in that regard. And i need to because us and what i promised because we do need to raise more funds. But i think, spending my whole life and science, but it is very important that that Scientific Research touches parts of the country, but scientists and people who want to participate, be able to access areas far spread. I am with you in intention, and will work my best to make it a reality. Thank you very much. Thank you mr. Chairman, and thank you for being here today. Come by my office and talk to me. I would like to talk to you about some of the things panama, what is going on in panama, and what the smithsonian does there is very important. The same thing that happened with the national art gallery, it needs to be replaced, the exterior of it. Dr. Skorton in a sense yes, and a sense know. Isnt that a hopeful answer . I get that answer all the time. Dr. Skorton it turns out, that when the exterior was cut, it was cut to a thickness about twice as thick as the thickness of the clatting of the air and space museum. It was to speed along construction at a time when we were trying to get the building done for the bicentennial. In the case of the gallery of art, it was possible to reuse that figure thicker clatting. In my response, that is why it is such an expensive project. At the same issue, relative to what caused the necessity for replacing it . Dr. Skorton in part, it s. The other thing i would like to talk you about is, are you getting pressure on the arts and Industries Building down there to use it as the Hispanic Museum . Or is that a question you dont want to answer . Dr. Skorton i want to answer any question you have, i want to give you the right answer. First of all, part of our charge, part of what you expect us to do, is tell the story of america in all its completeness and beauty. The story of the american latino is a very important part of telling the story. As you know, a new museum for the smithsonian is always established by an act of congress. That act has not occurred. However, my predecessors have already begun some years ago, to begin to gear up our efforts to tell the story of latinos in america. The two secretaries that preceded me, we have a project that you have been very generous in funding for a latino fund that allows us to fund some projects that have been very effective. We also have been hiring coming even though we dont have a specific museum, we have been hiring curators with expertise in telling the story of latinos in america. They are working in various places throughout the smithsonian. We have multiple exhibits, five or six in the last year, touching on some of those areas. So, it will be in your hands to decide, should we have a National Museum of the american Latino Esther mark in the meantime, were continuing to tell the story of the american latino. I got a tell you, it is not fair that you bring in all this neat stuff that distracts us so we can even your testimony. You have an advantage that others dont. Dr. Skorton it is true, the world is not fair. But i am so glad to be on my side of it. Thank you for your work in bringing these treasures. I want to talk about your comments on the value of that region education. I think we are in environment in this country where we are witnessing institutions across our social spectrum. Part of that i believe, is a lack of Civic Engagement. Part of that, is because we just dont teach civics anymore in our classrooms and in our schools. There is this a missed quiz circulating that when you ask a certain age cohort who won the civil war, the majority will say the british. That is a function of just not having access to history or the raditional civics lessons that we all were taught when we were growing up. So i would like you to amplify in your comments the importance of education, not just in ashington. And whether the smithsonian has a mission, or would consider having a mission, with respect to greater Civic Engagement and Civic Education across the country. Dr. Skorton thank you very uch. First of all, before when i quoted the Mission Statement of the increase and diffusion of knowledge, it is incredibly important that it involves not just people crossing thresholds of our beautiful museums here in new york city and elsewhere, we need to go out and help people where they live. As i mentioned very briefly in the opening remarks, the education work of the smithsonian, for example, in stem disciplines, is very well established throughout the country. S people wish to use it. As you know, our k12 system is a local phenomenon, largely. We are therefore for people who want to use it. That use occurs in every state of the United States. However, i think we could be doing even more in terms of outreach. I think that outreach could and should have occurred in two directions. It is one thing for us to offer Educational Services and arts nd culture and history and science, or to partner with people who want to do Scientific Research as the congressman burr brought up. It is another to get their input. One of the hallmarks i hope to bring to the smithsonian, which is already been a part, but i hope to strengthen it, is to listen more to the public about what they want. The first thing i will do is start small and close to home. I think we also focus on the city of washington, the city of washington is where our home base is. With the help of mayor bowser, i am establishing a Youth Advisory Council to meet from High School Students in washington, d. C. I am hoping those High School Students will be able to tell me what theyre interested in, what they believe they need. And i want to go directly to the place where we would like to education to occur. The first meeting of this group i hope will be the very next month. And i hope to ask them the very uestion youre asking me indirectly, and that is, what you think we need that we could do for you . In terms of a direct answer to your question about the lack of focus on civics, i am sure you know because it is an area of interest of yours, and everyone on the subcommittee, there is a lot of consternation about where American Youth are in terms of their knowledge of American History and ivics. There are other organizations, nonprofit, that have been brought up to deal specifically with the citrix problem. What we can do is treat things that the smithsonian. We can offer exposure to the history of the United States and its culture through the collections themselves. Secondly, these museums already offer enormous numbers and are very effective types of public programs, Public Outreach programs. Some are doing through smithsonian associates, some are done individually in different ways. Again, all the can do is offer and hope they will come. Additionally, i want to find out what the public would like from us. In asking us questions, asked what we can do to be helpful in broadening your perspectives. And one last thing, when i have a few minutes and my daily schedule, i walked from my office and go to the museums and talk to the visitors. I talked to the families and tourists who come in. One of the things they ask most consistently, not a scientific sample, but just in my nine months of asking them, parents will ask, what can you do to help my parents understand a fastmoving world . If they dont specifically ask about civics, they want to ring our kids along. So i appreciate your uestion. If you would find some time to visit with me in my office, i would love to follow up and discuss valeries you have for teachers across america and how it can be helpful. Thank you, and we would love to spend the day with you doctor, but unfortunately we have to go vote. I would like to get into more depth somewhere down the road. I will visit the air and space museum with you, that is a huge number, as you know. Mr. Calvert we can find out how we are going to do this. I know it has to be done, a visible museum and a national treasure. With that, we are adjourned. Dr. Skorton thank you very much. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions Copyright National able satellite corp. 2016] the proposed budget cut funding by about 2 from the previous year. At this hearing senator barbara middle class ski delivered her final statement as part of the subcommittee and reminisced about her work appropriating funding for nasa. This is about an hour. We hoped the administration would leverage the Solid Foundation we provided to move forward on all of nasas goals. But i think that hope was shortlived. The budget that nasa has presented to us claims to include a total level funding level of 19 billion. But we have to look at this closely. This overall amount is achieved through a combination of Discretionary Spending and an unprecedented amount of funding disguised as mandatory when it is in fact it is not actually mandatory. Since the budget rollout of february 9, nasa has used zossy rhetoric to mask the fact that 763 million this agency requested is offset by proposed tax increases such as a new 10 tax on each barrel of imported oil that congress has not yet considered nor do i expect that we ever will consider. Nasas request is only 18. 26 billion, a cut of 1 billion from what the subcommittee provided in the last fiscal year. These cuts, if enacted, would a road ongoing science missions, jeopardize core operations, and delay exploration launches. Im sure its no coincidence that most of those proposed cuts target programs that are supported by this committee and other members of congress, in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle. The administration if the administration prioritizes funding, they cannot find enough Discretionary Spending for nasa. Nasa failed to propose a truthful budget that can be accomplishing the agencys goals. To move forward in 2017, the subcommittee must set aside those socalled mandatory spending units. Instead, we must provide honest funding that is necessary to advance our nations ram using iscretionary spending that does not us the budget caps agreed upon last fall. This proposed budget presents staggering reductions that would lead to a nearly 1 billion reduction to nasas discretionary budget compared to last year. Those proposed cuts has implications that if not corrected will delay ongoing work and drive of development costs, outcomes that the subcommittee is worked hard to avoid. I look forward to particularly with the concern of consistent ack of support with nasas human exploration efforts to go beyond lowers orbit. Low earth orbit. The crude vehicle or e. On would be cut by 217 billion. Proposed funding and Development Path forsls ensures that our next crude expiration vehicles were not even meet nasas far from ambitious target of launching in 2023. Surprisingly, nasa has not proposed a single dollar for the development of the upper stage engine that is absolutely necessary for a crude omission that is only seven years away. The request were not allow nasa to stay current on its own production and launch schedule. You have traveled around the country in recent months, touting nasas strong support for sls and orion missions. In reality, this budget will effectively delay any advancement in a nasa humanled mission. If this budget expiration is what the Administration Calls strong support, i hate to imagine what the requests would look like if there was only a professed marginal commitment from nasa. Other missions across nasa will feel the detrimental consequences of this request level. Planetary Space Missions would rely on imaginary funding to Fund Operations and effectively cancel this budget trade under this years proposed budget equest, the new Horizons Mission to pluto which had its Mission Extended will essentially have to depend on a tax increase that has virtually no chance of being enacted. Even the recent highprofile announcements of error not ask the experimental flight vehicles have become greatly dependent upon budgetary immicks. Many other activities across nasa are open to additional risk caused by budgetary uncertainty. The Inspector General and the Government Accountability office have cited risks from funding uncertainty as a top chronic concern at nasa, and this budget has borne out these conc