Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Community Act of 2004

COMMISSION TO STUDY THE POTENTIAL CREATION OF A NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO COMMUNITY ACT OF 2004

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, before the Memorial Day recess, I joined with Senators HATCH, BINGAMAN, and HUTCHISON in introducing the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Community Act of 2004.

This legislation would create a national commission to study and plan for a National Museum of the American Latino, possibly in Washington, DC. Congressman XAVIER BECERRA and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have sponsored companion legislation in the House.

Throughout our Nation's history, Latinos have enriched our culture and economy, and contributed to our national defense. In every American war and conflict, Latinos have served honorably next to their fellow Americans. It is time for our Nation's history and public institutions to fully recognize and celebrate our Latino community.

Though Latinos have been the largest ethnic minority group in California for some time, the Census Bureau recently reported that Latinos are now the largest minority group in the country and have grown in population in every region. As of July 2002, there were 38.8 million Latinos in the United States. One out of every three of these Latinos is under the age of 18. Also, the southern states other than Texas have seen the population of Latinos double between 1990 and 2000. The size, youth, and growth of this population ensure that American Latinos will continue to play a critical role in every region of the country and in every aspect of American life. As a result, a greater understanding of this population and its history will benefit all Americans.

The American Latino experience in the United States has a history as long as the Nation is old. From families with Puerto Rican and Dominican origins in New York to those with Cuban blood in Miami to the giant Mexican American and Central American communities in California and numerous other communities in every region of the country-American Latinos share a host of common values and similar experiences. A National Museum of the American Latino would help the larger American family celebrate this community's history and diversity.

The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum and research complex, with 16 museums in the District of Columbia and New York City. The Smithsonian Institution museums, especially those on the National Mall, play a unique and important role in educating visitors to the Nation's capital about America's history, arts, and culture. The American people and international visitors recognize the Smithsonian Institution as the premier American museum, representing the vast diversity of cultural history of the United States. It is worth examining the potential for adding a National Museum of the American Latino to the Smithsonian family.

After extensive dialogue, conferences, and collaboration among educators, scholars, and community leaders as well as museums, universities, cultural, and public institutions, a task force appointed to examine the Smithsonian Institution's representation of American Latinos in its permanent exhibits and other public programs published "Willful Neglect: The Smithsonian Institution and U.S. Latinos" in May 1994 and "Toward a Shared Vision: U.S. Latinos and the Smithsonian Institution" in October 1997. The reports indicate that the Smithsonian historically had a poor record of representing Latinos. This criticism led to the creation of the Smithsonian's Center for Latino Initiatives in 1998.

The Center for Latino Initiatives has increased the profile of Latino arts and culture and deserves credit for promoting diversity and understanding of American Latino culture among the Smithsonian's visitors. The Center's short history has shown that American Latino exhibits and programs are well received by the public and by the Latino community, which benefits from having some representation at the Smithsonian. Still, the level of representation at the Smithsonian of the Latino community is far from where it should be given the American Latino history, demography, and contributions to the American cultural landscape.

I thank Senators HATCH, BINGAMAN, and HUTCHISON for joining with me in introducing this bill. I look forward to working with them to pass this legislation, and I encourage all my colleagues to join us in this effort.