[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2122 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2122
To designate the Battleship IOWA Museum, located in Los Angeles,
California, as the National Museum of the Surface Navy, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 23, 2021
Ms. Barragan (for herself, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Chu, Mr. Schiff, Mrs.
Napolitano, and Mr. Lowenthal) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To designate the Battleship IOWA Museum, located in Los Angeles,
California, as the National Museum of the Surface Navy, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Battleship Iowa National Museum of
the Surface Navy Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The United States Surface Navy represents the millions
of sailors and thousands of ships that sail on oceans around
the world to ensure the safety and freedom of Americans and all
people.
(2) The Battleship IOWA is an iconic Surface Navy vessel
that--
(A) served as home to hundreds of thousands of
sailors from all 50 States; and
(B) is recognized as a transformational feat of
engineering and innovation.
(3) In 2012, the Navy donated the Battleship IOWA to the
Pacific Battleship Center, a nonprofit organization pursuant to
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, after
which the Center established the Battleship IOWA Museum at the
Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California.
(4) The Battleship IOWA Museum is a museum and educational
institution that--
(A) has welcomed millions of visitors from across
the United States and receives support from thousands
of Americans throughout the United States to preserve
the legacy of those who served on the Battleship IOWA
and all Surface Navy ships;
(B) is home to Los Angeles Fleet Week, which has
the highest public engagement of any Fleet Week in the
United States and raises awareness of the importance of
the Navy to defending the United States, maintaining
safe sea lanes, and providing humanitarian assistance;
(C) hosts numerous military activities, including
enlistments, re-enlistments, commissionings,
promotions, and community service days, with
participants from throughout the United States;
(D) is a leader in museum engagement with
innovative exhibits, diverse programming, and use of
technology;
(E) is an on-site training platform for Federal,
State, and local law enforcement personnel to use for a
variety of training exercises, including urban search
and rescue and maritime security exercises;
(F) is a partner with the Navy in carrying out
Defense Support of Civil Authorities efforts by
supporting training exercises and responses to crises,
including the COVID-19 pandemic;
(G) is a science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics education platform for thousands of
students each year;
(H) is an instrumental partner in the economic
development efforts along the Los Angeles waterfront by
attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually
and improving the quality of life for area residents;
and
(I) provides a safe place for--
(i) veteran engagement and reintegration
into the community through programs and
activities that provide a sense of belonging to
members of the Armed Forces and veterans; and
(ii) proud Americans to come together in
common purpose to highlight the importance of
service to community for the future of the
United States.
(5) In January 2019, the Pacific Battleship Center received
a license for the rights of the National Museum of the Surface
Navy from the Navy for the purpose of building such museum
aboard the Battleship IOWA at the Port of Los Angeles.
(6) The National Museum of the Surface Navy will--
(A) be the official museum to honor millions of
Americans who have proudly served and continue to serve
in the Surface Navy since the founding of the Navy on
October 13, 1775;
(B) be a community-based and future-oriented museum
that will raise awareness and educate the public on the
important role of the Surface Navy in ensuring
international relations, maintaining safe sea transit
for free trade, preventing piracy, providing
humanitarian assistance, and enhancing the role of the
United States throughout the world;
(C) build on successes of the Battleship IOWA
Museum by introducing new exhibits and programs with a
focus on education, veterans, and community;
(D) borrow and exhibit artifacts from the Navy and
other museums and individuals throughout the United
States; and
(E) work with individuals from the Surface Navy
community and the public to ensure that the story of
the Surface Navy community is accurately interpreted
and represented.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE SURFACE NAVY.
(a) Designation.--The Battleship IOWA Museum, located in Los
Angeles, California, and managed by the Pacific Battleship Center,
shall be designated as the ``National Museum of the Surface Navy''.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the National Museum of the Surface
Navy shall be to--
(1) provide and support--
(A) a museum dedicated to the United States Surface
Navy community; and
(B) a platform for education, community, and
veterans programs;
(2) preserve, maintain, and interpret artifacts, documents,
images, stories, and history collected by the museum; and
(3) ensure that the American people understand the
importance of the Surface Navy in the continued freedom,
safety, and security of the United States.
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