Blackburn among supporters for national women’s history museum

Story by Mike Lillis, Staff Writer for The Hill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Republicans plan to vote this year on legislation promoting construction of a National Women’s History Museum, Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s (R-Va.) office told Washington D.C. newspaper, The Hill.

The push to establish a memorial near the National Mall is a proposal that has been in Congress for nearly two decades without reaching the president’s desk.

Congressional supporters from both parties have been working to pressure leaders to stage a vote on the bill this year.

Cantor spokeswoman Megan Whittemore said the congressman supports the bill and intends to bring it to the floor.

According to New York Democrat Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who has worked on the proposal since 1998, it has the support of House Democrats Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.).

“Leadership from both parties in the House has now come out in favor of this bill, and I’m hopeful we can secure a large, bipartisan vote in favor of its passage,” Maloney said.

The House Natural Resources Committee’s subpanel on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation will examine the bill March 18.

Maloney’s bill would establish a commission to examine the best way to bring the museum “on or near” the National Mall. The eight-member panel, appointed by bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate, will have a year to report recommendations to Congress and the White House for building and maintaining it.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), the House bill’s lead GOP sponsor, said, “I do think that it’s the year that it can move on the House floor and the Senate floor.”

Using past museum commissions as a guide, the bill’s sponsors estimate the proposal will cost between $1 million and $3 million. The commission, construction and maintenance of the museum would be funded by private contributions. Actress Meryl Streep has donated $1 million to the project, Maloney said.

Blackburn acknowledged there may be some push-back from those wondering why women should have their own spot on the Mall.

“You’re always going to hear some [say], ‘Well, if we have that, [why don’t] we have a men’s history museum?’ ” she said. “But I think what we have to do is realize that what has been highly recognized in the country is the contribution of men…there are women who worked alongside them and women who have led great movements in this country, and that should be recognized.”