PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.
Congressional Research Service
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People & committees
Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3] · D–NY
Legislative record
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Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Dec 10, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-06 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This bill would create a temporary, eight-member commission to study a possible National Museum of Italian American History and Culture in the Washington, D.C., area. The commission would examine costs, locations, collections, and possible Smithsonian membership, and develop a fundraising plan. It would make recommendations rather than establish the museum itself. Federal funds could not be committed to carrying out the bill.
There is established the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Italian American History and Culture
The Commission shall be composed of 8 members
The Commission shall submit to the President and Congress a report containing the recommendations of the Commission with respect to a plan of action regarding the feasibility of establishing and maintaining a National Museum of Italian American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and the environs of such museum
(A) The availability and cost of collections to be acquired and housed in the Museum. (B) The impact of the Museum on existing Italian American history-related museums. (C) The development of criteria, in consultation with the Smithsonian Institution, for evaluating possible locations for the Museum in Washington, D.C., and the environs of such Museum. (D) The feasibility of the Museum becoming part of the Smithsonian Institution
The Commission shall develop a fundraising plan
No Federal funds may be obligated to carry out this Act.
The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the final versions of the reports required under section 3 are submitted.
Section 1 would name the bill the Commission To Study the Potential of a National Museum of Italian American History and Culture Act.
This Act may be cited as the Commission To Study the Potential of a National Museum of Italian American History and Culture Act.
The Senate majority leader, House Speaker, Senate minority leader, and House minority leader would each appoint two commissioners. Initial appointments would be due within 90 days after enactment. Federal employees could not serve as commissioners.
(1) 2 members shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; (2) 2 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (3) 2 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; and (4) 2 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
Not later than the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the initial members of the Commission shall be appointed under subsection (b).
No employee of the Federal Government may serve as a member of the Commission.
Commissioners could be individuals or representatives of institutions or organizations. They would need one of the listed qualifications, such as commitment to Italian American history or culture, relevant museum or fundraising expertise, extensive public service, or experience establishing, designing, or building museums.
Members of the Commission shall be appointed to the Commission from among individuals, or representatives of institutions or entities, who possess— (1) a demonstrated commitment to the research, study, or promotion of Italian American history, art, political or economic status, or culture; (2) expertise or experience in— (A) museum administration; (B) fundraising for nonprofit or cultural institutions; (C) the study and teaching of Italian American history; (D) studying the issue of the representation of Italian Americans in art, life, history, and culture at the Smithsonian Institution; or (E) public or elected service that is extensive; (3) experience in the administration of, or the planning for, the establishment of, museums; or (4) experience in the planning, design, or construction of museum facilities.
Vacancies would not reduce the commission's powers and would be filled through the original appointment process. A majority of all commissioners would choose one member as chair.
A vacancy in the Commission— (1) shall not affect the powers of the Commission; and (2) shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made under subsection (b).
The Commission shall, by majority vote of all of the members, select 1 member of the Commission to serve as the Chairperson of the Commission.
The commission would owe the President and Congress two reports: recommendations on whether and how to establish and maintain the museum, and an examination of specified practical issues. Both would be due within 18 months after the commission's first meeting.
The Commission shall submit to the President and Congress a report containing the recommendations of the Commission with respect to a plan of action regarding the feasibility of establishing and maintaining a National Museum of Italian American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and the environs of such museum
The Commission shall submit to the President and Congress a report that addresses the following
Not later than the date that is 18 months after the date of the first meeting of the Commission, the Commission shall submit the reports required under paragraphs (1) and (2).
The practical-issues report would examine collection availability and costs, effects on existing Italian American history museums, possible sites, governance, ways to involve Italian Americans in design, and construction and operating costs. Site-evaluation criteria would be developed in consultation with the Smithsonian.
(A) The availability and cost of collections to be acquired and housed in the Museum. (B) The impact of the Museum on existing Italian American history-related museums. (C) The development of criteria, in consultation with the Smithsonian Institution, for evaluating possible locations for the Museum in Washington, D.C., and the environs of such Museum.
(E) The governance and organizational structure from which the Museum should operate. (F) Best practices for engaging Italian Americans in the development and design of the Museum. (G) The cost of constructing, operating, and maintaining the Museum.
The commission would study whether the museum could become part of the Smithsonian. That assessment would have to consider possible effects on overdue facility maintenance, collection-storage needs, and identified construction or renovation costs.
The feasibility of the Museum becoming part of the Smithsonian Institution, taking into account the potential impact of the Museum on the Smithsonian’s existing facilities maintenance backlog, collections storage needs, and identified construction or renovation costs for new or existing museums.
The commission would develop a plan for public contributions to support the museum's establishment, operation, and maintenance. It would consider how to fund operations and maintenance indefinitely without federal appropriations—money provided through federal spending legislation. An independent review would assess whether the plan could fund construction and ongoing operations and maintenance on that basis; the bill does not establish that the plan would succeed.
The Commission shall develop a fundraising plan that shall address the ability to support the establishment, operation, and maintenance of the Museum through contributions from the public.
the Commission shall consider issues relating to funding the operations and maintenance of the Museum in perpetuity without reliance on appropriations of Federal funds.
The Commission shall obtain an independent review of the viability of the plan developed under paragraph (1).
The independent review under subparagraph (A) shall include an analysis as to whether the plan is able to achieve the level of resources necessary to fund the construction of the Museum and the operations and maintenance of the Museum in perpetuity without reliance on appropriations of Federal funds.
The fundraising plan and independent review would go to six named House and Senate committees. Those committees would also receive recommendations for legislative action concerning the feasibility of establishing and constructing the museum.
The Commission shall submit to the Committees on House Administration, Natural Resources, and Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Rules and Administration, Energy and Natural Resources, and Appropriations of the Senate the plan developed under paragraph (1) and the review conducted under paragraph (3).
Based on the recommendations contained in the report submitted under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a), the Commission shall submit for consideration to the Committees on House Administration, Natural Resources, and Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Rules and Administration, Energy and Natural Resources, and Appropriations of the Senate recommendations for a legislative plan of action on the feasibility of establishing and constructing the Museum.
The commission could hold a national conference about the museum within 18 months after its initial members were appointed. Participation would consist of people committed to advancing Italian American life, art, history, and culture. Holding the conference would be optional.
Not later than 18 months after the date on which the initial members of the Commission are appointed under section 2(b), the Commission may, in carrying out the duties of the Commission under this section, convene a national conference relating to the Museum, to be comprised of individuals committed to the advancement of the life, art, history, and culture of Italian Americans.
Commissioners would serve without pay but receive a daily travel-expense allowance at rates consistent with the cited federal travel law.
(B) shall serve without pay. (2) Travel expenses A member of the Commission shall be allowed a per diem allowance for travel expenses, at rates consistent with those authorized under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
Commissioners and staff generally would not count as federal employees, except for the cited laws concerning injury compensation and claims for harm. They would have to file annual financial disclosures and would count as federal employees under two additional cited provisions of title 18.
A member of the Commission— (A) shall not be considered to be a Federal employee for any purpose other than for purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code (relating to compensation for injury) and sections 2671 through 2680 of title 28, United States Code (relating to tort claims), except that each such individual shall be— (i) required to file an annual financial disclosure under chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code; and (ii) considered to be a Federal employee for purposes of sections 201 and 208 of title 18, United States Code
Any individual employed under this subsection shall not be considered a Federal employee for any purpose other than for purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code (relating to compensation for injury) and sections 2671 through 2680 of title 28, United States Code (relating to tort claims), except that each such individual shall be— (A) required to file an annual financial disclosure under chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code; and (B) considered to be a Federal employee for purposes of sections 201 and 208 of title 18, United States Code.
The commission could seek, accept, use, and dispose of donated money, services, or property, including gifts left through a will, to support its work. It would be solely responsible for accepting contributions and paying its expenses. No federal funds could be committed to carrying out the bill.
The Commission may solicit, accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of money, services, or real or personal property for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the Commission.
The Commission shall be solely responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and payment of the expenses of, the Commission.
No Federal funds may be obligated to carry out this Act.
The commission would be exempt from chapter 10 of title 5, identified in the bill as the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The supplied text does not reproduce that chapter's requirements.
(4) Federal advisory committee act The Commission shall not be subject to chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code.
The commission could hire and pay an executive director and other necessary staff. Pay rates would have to be consistent with those allowed for employees of a temporary organization under the cited federal statute.
The Commission may employ and compensate an executive director and any other additional personnel that are necessary to enable the Commission to perform the duties of the Commission.
Rates of pay for persons employed under subparagraph (A) shall be consistent with the rates of pay allowed for employees of a temporary organization under section 3161 of title 5, United States Code.
Federal agency heads could provide technical assistance at the commission's request, but federal employees could not be temporarily assigned to work for the commission.
Subject to subparagraph (B), on request of the Commission, the head of a Federal agency may provide technical assistance to the Commission. (B) Prohibition No Federal employees may be detailed to the Commission.
The commission would end 30 days after submission of the final versions of the reports required under section 3.
The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the final versions of the reports required under section 3 are submitted.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated December 10, 2025, records introduction in the House on February 6, 2025, and referral that day to the House Natural Resources and House Administration committees.
Source snapshot updated 2025-12-10T09:06:23Z.
2025-02-06: Introduced in House
2025-02-06: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-06. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced-text version. This conclusion does not extend to other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for a particular recipient or place was identified in the complete supplied introduced-text version. This conclusion does not establish the absence of earmarks in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied text contains a commission-specific statutory exemption. Identifying this narrow treatment is not a judgment about whether it is justified.
The proposed museum-study commission would receive a specific exemption from the Federal Advisory Committee Act chapter cited in the bill. This is special legal treatment for the body carrying out the bill's main purpose; the source does not reproduce the requirements from which it would be exempt.
There is established the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Italian American History and Culture (in this Act referred to as the Commission).
(4) Federal advisory committee act The Commission shall not be subject to chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Dec 10, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI