National American Indian Museum and Memorial Act

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

25 September 1987

Last action

25 August 1988 · Reported

Status

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 916.

Summary

National American Indian Museum and Memorial Act - Title I: Establishes within the Smithsonian Institution a memorial to the American Indian people to be known as the National Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, to provide for the study, research, collection, and exhibition of aboriginal Americans and their culture. Designates a specified area in the District of Columbia as the site of the Museum. Authorizes the Smithsonian to accept the transfer of all assets of the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, in New York City. Provides for the construction of a building for the Museum at the District of Columbia site, a Museum Support Center in Suitland, Maryland, and a permanent exhibition facility in New York City. Provides that the Heye Foundation's collection will not be merged with the Smithsonian's collection. Provides that the proceeds from the sale of property acquired through the transfer of the Foundation's assets will be maintained for the exclusive benefit of the Museum. Establishes the Trustees of the National Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, to assist the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian on matters relating to the Museum. Grants the Trustees sole authority to: (1) dispose of and acquire additional Museum property; and (2) determine the policy for displaying artifacts. Requires the Trustees to submit annual reports to the Board of Regents and the Congress. Requires the Foundation's employees serving at the time of the transfer to be offered employment by the Smithsonian. Pledges that the United States will provide the funds needed to maintain and operate the Museum. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Establishes a memorial within the Museum to commemorate the contributions of Indians and Alaska Natives to the United States and to house certain skeletal remains. Expresses the intent of the Congress that the memorial and Museum be completed within five years of the enactment of this Act. Requires the Secretary of the Smithsonian to determine the tribal origin of all skeletal remains of Indians and Alaska Natives under the control of the Smithsonian. Requires the Secretary to inter in the memorial all skeletal remains of Indians and Alaska Natives covered by a written statement to the Congress certifying that such remains: (1) have not been identified as being associated with a specific Indian tribe or group of Alaska Natives; or (2) have been identified as being associated with a specific Indian tribe or group of Alaska Natives which requests the interment of such remains in the memorial; and (3) are not likely to be the subject of any Indian claim or dispute. Requires the Museum to establish a Board of Design for the memorial, the majority of whose members shall be of American Indian or Alaska Native ancestry. Authorizes appropriations.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

25 September 1987
Introduced
Read twice and referred jointly to the Committees on Rules; Indian Affairs by unanimous consent.
Source: IntroReferral
25 September 1987
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
12 November 1987
Committee
Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.
Source: Committee
18 November 1987
Committee
Committee on Rules. Hearings held.
Source: Committee
13 April 1988
Reported
Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Source: Committee
19 April 1988
Reported
Committee on Rules. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Source: Committee
25 August 1988
Calendars
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 916.
Source: Calendars
25 August 1988
Reported
Committee on Indian Affairs. Jointly reported to Senate by Senator Inouye under the authority of the order of Aug 11, 88 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 100-494.
Source: Committee
25 August 1988
Reported
Committee on Indian Affairs. Jointly reported to Senate by Senator Inouye under the authority of the order of Aug 11, 88 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 100-494.
Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

Leesvertaling

Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

Vertaal naar

Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 25 September 1987
Open at official source

Related records

related to → American Indian Regional Museum Act of 1987
amends ← SAMDT 3739

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/100th-congress/senate-bill/1722
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/100/s/1722
us · 100-s-1722 · source updated 20 June 2025