The Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women's History Museum was a U.S. federal government commission established in 2014 to study whether there is a need for, and the feasibility of creating, a national women's history museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
[2] Her 2013 bill was the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women’s History Museum Act of 2013 (H.R.
3979), which clarified federal law so that emergency services volunteers were not considered employees under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was moving through Congress.
4435, the Howard P. "Buck" McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015), passed the House on May 22, 2014.
A companion bill, S. 2410 (the Carl Levin National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015) had been favorably reported by the Senate Armed Services Committee on June 2, 2014.
As the congressional session neared its conclusion in December 2014, the House needed to find a legislative vehicle for its preferred text for the national defense authorization bill.
Twice on December 10, Senator Tom Coburn attempted to strip all the interior, natural resources, wilderness areas, and memorials sections from the bill,[5] but the chair ruled his amendments out of order.
The legislation authorizing a Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women's History Museum was enacted into law as Title XXX-Natural Resources Related General Provisions, Subtitle D—National Park System Studies, Management, and Related Matters, Section 3056 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015.
[7] Section 3056(b) establishes a Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women's History Museum.
Employees of the federal government are prohibited from serving on the commission, and the commissioners must be appointed within 90 days of the passage of the act.
Within 18 months of its first meeting, the commission must submit to the President of the United States and the Congress a report containing recommendations regarding the need for and the feasibility of establishing a National Women's History Museum.
[10] The Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women's History Museum may not rely on federal funds to pay its members or implement its programs.
[11] Pursuant to federal law, the following members of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women's History Museum were appointed by the Speaker of the House:[12] The following members were appointed by the Senate Majority Leader:[12] The following members were appointed by the House Minority Leader:[12] The following members were appointed by the Senate Minority Leader:[12] The Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women's History Museum should not be confused with the National Women's History Museum Inc., a private, nonprofit foundation established in 1996 to promote the creation of a national women's history museum in Washington, D.C.
The chair of the nonprofit's board of directors is Susan Whiting,[20] and its chief executive officer is Joan Wages.