Newhouse Applauds Passage of Bill to Establish American Latino Museum

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 2420, the National Museum of the American Latino Act:

"Growing up in Central Washington, I have experienced firsthand how Latino and Hispanic cultures are deeply integrated in our communities and how their contributions have made us a greater nation," said Rep. Newhouse. "The National Museum of the American Latino will demonstrate that, as Americans, we cherish our unity and diversity, and it will finally highlight and celebrate the many contributions of our Latino neighbors."

Rep. Newhouse is an original cosponsor of H.R. 2420, which will establish the National Museum of the American Latino within the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

The effort to establish the National Museum of the American Latino has been ongoing for 20 years. The bill, which passed in the House of Representatives for the first time, would establish a Board of Trustees to help guide the Smithsonian's creation of the museum. It would authorize a 50 percent federal match to privately raised dollars for design and construction costs. It would also authorize grants to strengthen and develop American Latino Museums around the country and assist students pursuing degrees in the fields of Latino history, arts, and culture. It has been modeled closely after legislation that successfully established the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and other museums within the Smithsonian Institution.