Bills
| 3.23.22

A Study to Consider Creating a National Women's Museum (H.R. 863)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 863?

(Updated July 21, 2018)

According to the Congressional Budgeting Office, the bill:
would establish a commission to prepare a report containing recommendations for establishing and maintaining a National Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C. The 8-member commission would have 18 months to produce the report and submit it to the Congress. All commission members would serve without pay but would be reimbursed for travel expenses. In addition, the commission would be authorized to hire staff and, while no federal employees could be detailed to the commission, federal agencies could provide technical support. Finally, the bill would prohibit federal funds from being used for commission expenses; it would have to rely on gifts and contributions to cover those costs.

Argument in favor

Would educate, inspire and empower by more fully integrating women's history into the culture and history of the United States. Women's contributions and accomplishments have been overlooked by and omitted from mainstream culture.

Argument opposed

Women’s history is American history, and there is already a National Museum of American History on the National Mall. Fails to include an adequate number of professional historians in museum planning and exhibit considerations.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would be a first step toward establishing a museum dedicated to honoring the cultural and historical legacies of American women.

Cost of H.R. 863

The CBO estimates that enacting the bill would have no significant effect on the federal budget.

Additional Info

Media:



Of Note:

Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN) has claimed that the museum’s website "shows an 'overwhelming bias toward women who embrace liberal ideology [and]radical feminism and fails to paint an accurate picture of the lives and actions of American women throughout our history'”.