S 1157 108th Congress Senate Arts, Culture, Religion Art Black colleges Black history Blacks Building construction Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Civil rights movements District of Columbia Education Educational technology Elementary and secondary education Elementary education Executive reorganization Finance and Financial Sector Government Operations and Politics Grants-in-aid Higher education Historic sites History

National Museum of African American History and Culture Act

Introduced: May 23, 2003 See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 10 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jun 24, 2003

Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Jun 24, 2003

Received in the House.

Jun 24, 2003

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Jun 23, 2003

Senate Committee on Rules and Administration discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S8378-8380)

Jun 23, 2003

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S8378-8380; text of measure as passed Senate: CR S8378-8380)

Jun 23, 2003

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8378-8380; text of measure as passed Senate: CR S8378-8380)

Jun 23, 2003

Senate Committee on Rules and Administration discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8378-8380)

May 23, 2003

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7156-1158)

May 23, 2003

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7155-7156)

May 23, 2003

Introduced in Senate

Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

National Museum of African American History and Culture Act - (Sec. 4) Establishes within the Smithsonian Institution (SI) the National Museum of African American History and Culture, to be operated as a center for scholarship and a location for museum training, public education, exhibits, and collection and study of items and materials relating to the life, art, history, and culture of African Americans that encompass the period of slavery, the era of reconstruction, the Harlem renaissance, the civil rights movement, and other periods of the African American diaspora.

(Sec. 5) Establishes the National Museum of African American History and Culture Council to: (1) advise and assist the SI Board of Regents on Museum planning, design, construction, operation, and budgets; and (2) have responsibility and authority with respect to the Museum's collections and work, subject to the Board of Regents' general policies.

(Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary of SI to appoint a Director to manage the Museum.

(Sec. 7) Establishes the Office of Education and Liaison Programs within the Museum to work with educational institutions and museums throughout the Nation. Requires the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services to establish specified grant, scholarship, internship, and fellowship programs relating to African American museums.

(Sec. 8) Directs the Board of Regents to select the Museum's site from one of four specified sites on or adjacent to the national mall. Requires the Board of Regents to pay costs of planning, design, and construction of the Museum on the chosen site as follows: 50 percent from Federal funds and 50 percent from non-Federal sources.

(Sec. 9) Provides for Congressional Budget Act compliance by declaring that authority under this Act to enter into contracts or to make payments shall be effective in any fiscal year only to the extent provided in advance in an appropriations Act, except that mounts made available under section 11 of this Act shall remain available until expended.

(Sec. 10) Directs the Council and the Board of Regents, in carrying out their duties under this Act, to consider the reports and plans submitted by the National Museum of African American History and Culture Plan for Action Presidential Commission under the National Museum of African American History and Culture Plan for Action Presidential Commission Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-106).

(Sec. 11) Authorizes appropriations in a specified amount for FY 2004, and in necessary amounts for subsequent fiscal years.

What's happening now June 24, 2003

Related & companion bills 2

Bill text 3 versions

Engrossed in Senate Formatted Text PDF
Introduced in Senate Formatted Text PDF
Referred in House Formatted Text PDF

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 3

Committee on House Administration
House of Representatives
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
House of Representatives
Rules and Administration Committee
Senate

Cosponsors 7

Illinois · May 23, 2003

Graham, Lindsey

South Carolina · May 23, 2003

Grassley, Chuck

Iowa · May 23, 2003

Schumer, Charles E.

New York · May 23, 2003

Cite this page click to expand

APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1157: National Museum of African American History and Culture Act. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1157/

MLA

"S. 1157: National Museum of African American History and Culture Act." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1157/.

Bluebook (legal)

S. 1157, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1157/.

Markdown link

[S. 1157: National Museum of African American History and Culture Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1157/)