S-675-119
Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
Sponsored by John Hoeven (R-ND)
What it does
This bill would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide up to $50 million in federal grants to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation to help establish a presidential library in Medora, North Dakota. Federal grants could only be released after the Foundation certifies it has raised at least $100 million from the State of North Dakota or non-federal sources. The bill would also allow federal agencies under the Interior Department — including the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — to loan historic artifacts and museum objects to the Foundation at no cost, while prohibiting federal involvement in the library's ongoing operations.
Who benefits
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, which would receive up to $50 million in federal funds and access to federally held artifacts. Residents of and visitors to Medora, North Dakota, who would gain a major cultural and tourism institution. North Dakota's broader tourism and hospitality economy. Historians, educators, researchers, and students interested in Theodore Roosevelt's life and legacy. The general public, who would gain access to artifacts currently not on public display. Conservation and natural history communities, given Roosevelt's historical role in those areas.
Who is hurt
Federal taxpayers who would fund up to $50 million of the library's construction costs. Other presidential library foundations or cultural institutions that compete for federal discretionary funding and do not receive comparable federal support. Federal agencies — particularly the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — that would temporarily lose custody of loaned artifacts. Communities in other states that may have sought federal support for comparable cultural or historical projects and did not receive it.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that Theodore Roosevelt's legacy — including his creation of the National Park System, conservation of over 230 million acres of public land, and transformative presidency — warrants a dedicated federal contribution to preserve and interpret his life for future generations. They contend the 2:1 matching requirement (at least $100 million in non-federal funds before any federal dollar is released) demonstrates strong private and state commitment, limits federal financial exposure, and ensures the project is fiscally sound before taxpayer funds are committed. The prohibition on federal involvement in operations further ensures this is a one-time establishment investment, not an ongoing federal obligation.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that presidential libraries are traditionally funded privately, and that directing $50 million in federal funds to a single institution in one state sets a precedent for federalizing what has historically been a private philanthropic endeavor. They contend that even with the matching requirement, the federal government would be subsidizing a project that primarily benefits one state's tourism economy, and that the same funds could address higher-priority national needs. Critics may also note that the bill's categorization under "Civil Rights" appears to be a congressional filing anomaly, raising questions about the bill's procedural path.
Constitutional context
No significant constitutional tension exists here. Congress has broad authority under the Property Clause (Art. IV, §3, cl. 2) to dispose of federal property, including artifact loans, and under the Spending Clause (Art. I, §8, cl. 1) to appropriate funds for the general welfare. The bill's civil rights category designation does not implicate the Equal Protection Clause or other civil rights provisions from the 14th Amendment.
Checks and balances
Congress retains the power of the purse — grants are subject to future appropriations acts, meaning no funds flow automatically; the executive branch (Secretary of the Interior) gains discretionary authority to issue grants and negotiate artifact loans, subject to the Foundation's matching certification requirement and congressional appropriations oversight.
Historical precedent
Congress has previously authorized federal contributions to presidential libraries and cultural institutions, such as funding for the Smithsonian Institution and grants through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, though direct federal construction grants to a privately operated presidential library of this structure are uncommon.