S-2385-119
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-238.
Sponsored by Jim Banks (R-IN)
What it does
This bill would codify Executive Order 14253 into law, directing the Vice President and other executive officials to remove exhibits and content from the Smithsonian Institution deemed to "divide Americans based on race" or conflict with a specified policy favoring content celebrating American achievements. It would also direct the Secretary of the Interior to reinstate previously removed monuments and statues on Interior Department land, restrict future Smithsonian appropriations from funding certain content (including material depicting transgender individuals or biological males in women's sports), and require infrastructure improvements at Independence National Historical Park by July 4, 2026.
Who benefits
Advocates who believe recent Smithsonian and National Park Service exhibits present an overly critical or "revisionist" view of American history; officials and appointees who would gain influence over Smithsonian content decisions, including the Vice President and future Board of Regents appointees; groups seeking removed Confederate-era or other historical monuments reinstated.
Who is hurt
Smithsonian curators, historians, and museum staff whose editorial and curatorial independence would be constrained; museums and exhibits addressing race, gender identity, or contested historical narratives (e.g., the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the American Women's History Museum); visitors and scholars who rely on exhibits reflecting diverse historical interpretations; transgender individuals and advocacy groups whose representation in exhibits would be restricted.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that federally funded museums like the Smithsonian should present balanced, unifying accounts of American history rather than what they view as one-sided ideological narratives, citing specific exhibit examples they consider divisive, such as content describing "hard work" and "the nuclear family" as aspects of "White culture." They contend Congress and the executive branch, as funders of these institutions, have legitimate authority to set content standards for taxpayer-supported exhibits and monuments.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue this bill would insert political officials, including the Vice President, into curatorial decisions historically left to museum professionals and historians, threatening the Smithsonian's independence and scholarly credibility. They contend the vague standards—like prohibiting content that "divides Americans based on race" or "recognizes men as women"—could be used to suppress accurate historical accounts of slavery, segregation, and discrimination, and that restricting content on gender identity may raise free speech and viewpoint discrimination concerns.