20 U.S.C. § 80t — Findings

submitted 6 years ago by Pub. L. 116-260 to r/title-20-EDUCATION · 292 words · no verdicts yet

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Congress found that women's contributions are underrepresented in America's history books, monuments, and museums. No national museum is devoted to women's history. A 2014 Congressional Commission unanimously concluded the nation needs a national women's history museum. That museum should reflect diverse experiences and viewpoints.

Congress found: (1) Since its founding, the United States has greatly benefited from women's contributions. (2) Historical accounts, monuments, memorials, and museums disproportionately represent men's achievements and often neglect women's. For example: (A) a study of 18 U.S. history textbooks found only 10 percent of the material documented women's contributions; (B) only 9 of the 91 statues in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall depict women; and (C) after the 2016 designation of the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, only 1 of the 44 National Park Service monuments specifically honors women's achievements. (3) No national museum in the United States is devoted to documenting women's contributions throughout the nation's history. (4) On December 19, 2014, Congress created a Congressional Commission to study the potential for an American women's history museum. This bipartisan Commission unanimously concluded that the United States needs and deserves a physical national museum showcasing women's historical experiences and impact. (5) A comprehensive women's history museum would document the full range of women's experiences in the United States, represent diverse viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds, more accurately depict U.S. history, and add value to the Smithsonian Institution. (6) The museum's collections, exhibits, historical materials, and programming should be inclusive, comprehensive, and innovative — presenting the diverse range of experiences and viewpoints of all women in the United States, reflecting both what sets women apart from each other and what many of them share.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

Congress finds the following:

(1)

Since its founding, the United States has greatly benefitted from the contributions of women.

(2)

Historical accounts, monuments, memorials, and museums disproportionately represent men’s achievements and contributions and often neglect those of women. For example—

(A)

a study of 18 United States history textbooks concluded that 10 percent of the material documented contributions of women;

(B)

9 statues out of 91 in the United States Capitol’s National Statuary Hall depict women; and

(C)

only one of the 44 monuments operated by the National Park Service specifically honors the achievements of women after the 2016 designation of the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument.

(3)

There exists no national museum in the United States that is devoted to the documentation of women’s contributions throughout the Nation’s history.

(4)

On December 19, 2014, Congress created a Congressional Commission to study the potential for an American museum of women’s history. The bipartisan Commission unanimously concluded that the United States needs and deserves a physical national museum dedicated to showcasing the historical experiences and impact of women in the United States.

(5)

A comprehensive women’s history museum would document the full spectrum of the experiences of women in the United States, represent a diverse range of viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds, more accurately depict the history of the United States, and add value to the Smithsonian Institution.

(6)

The collections, exhibits, historical narrative materials, and museum programming of the women’s history museum should be inclusive, comprehensive, and innovative. Such collections, exhibits, materials, and programming should present the diverse range of experiences and viewpoints of all women in the United States, reflecting upon the things that set women apart from one another while also highlighting the experiences that many of these women share.

Source credit: (Pub. L. 116–260, div. T, title I, § 102, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2272.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

2020Enacted · Pub. L. 116-260 · 134 Stat. 2272

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 116-260 on 2020-12-27.

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