H.R. 1329 — Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act

This section establishes the short title of the Act as the “Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act.”

This section revises the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum site, construction, mission, governance, and reporting requirements. It designates the South Monument site on the National Mall, bordered by 14th Street Southwest, Jefferson Drive Southwest, Raoul Wallenberg Place Southwest, and Independence Avenue Southwest, as the Museum site, unless the President designates an alternative site within 180 days of enactment; requires the Federal agency or entity with jurisdiction over the site to transfer administrative jurisdiction to the Smithsonian Institution as soon as practicable; and authorizes the Board of Regents, with specified approvals, to plan, design, and construct the Museum at that site. It also requires the Smithsonian Institution to reimburse, within 60 days, any costs incurred by the Federal agency or entity in implementing recommendations from the approval process. This section further adds a scope-of-mission provision stating that the Museum shall be dedicated to preserving, researching, and presenting the history, achievements, and lived experiences of biological women in the United States, and prohibits the Museum from identifying, presenting, describing, or otherwise depicting any biological male as a female. It revises the Council’s duties to require, to the extent practicable, equal representation of the diversity of political viewpoints and authentic experiences held by women in the United States, and directs the Council to seek and use, to its maximum ability, guidance from a broad array of knowledgeable and respected sources for both the creation and substantial revision of exhibits and programs. It also requires the Smithsonian Secretary to submit reports to specified congressional committees not later than 120 days after enactment and every 2 years thereafter.