The proposed museums would be the first new Smithsonian facilities since the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in 2016. Advocates have been pressing for a Latino museum since the Smithsonian issued a report in 1994 critical of its treatment of American Hispanics. The push for the American Women’s History Museum dates to 2016, when a bipartisan congressional commission called for its establishment. The House passed the women’s history museum bill in February and the Latino museum bill in July, and both were approved unanimously by the Senate Rules Committee on Dec. 3. Menendez and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a sponsor of the women’s history museum bill, tried to get unanimous consent from the Senate on Dec. 10, but Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah thwarted their plans.

Source: Washington Post December 22, 2020 06:16 UTC