HR 1569 IH

To establish a commission to study the establishment of a national education museum and archive for the United States.

April 24, 2001

Mr. OWENS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

To establish a commission to study the establishment of a national education museum and archive for the United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) The United States has developed a unique and powerful system of education that is admired throughout the world.

(2) The American education system has developed into an increasingly complex and rich mixture of public and private education since the founding of this Nation.

(3) There is no central location or agency responsible for the identification and preservation of American education's history.

(4) There is a need for a national place of study and research on American education and schooling in all its dimensions.

(5) There is a need to study the development of a national historical and archival repository for American education.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a national commission to study the development of a national education museum and archive for the United States.

SEC. 3. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

(a) APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSION- The Secretary of Education shall appoint a national commission including representatives from both the public and private sectors to study the development, creation, and operation of a national education museum and archive (in this Act referred to as the `Commission').

(b) MEMBERSHIP- The Commission, not to exceed 15 members, shall be broadly representative of the spectrum of American education and shall include educators, archivists, museum professionals, and policy makers.

(c) DURATION OF COMMISSION; REPORTS-

(1) DURATION OF COMMISSION- The Commission shall exist for a period not to exceed 2 years.

(2) REPORTS- The Commission shall submit regular interim reports and a final report to the Secretary of Education and the Congress not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(d) DUTIES OF COMMISSION- The Commission shall undertake at least the following actions:

(1) Generally defining the requirements for developing, creating, and operating a national education museum and archive.

(2) Elaborating on, and assessing, the existing conditions affecting such requirements.

(3) Undertaking detailed project structure development and planning.

(4) Undertaking detailed museum and archive planning.

(5) Making detailed recommendations for the creation and operation of a national education museum and archive.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

As used in this Act:

(1) ARCHIVE- The term `archive' means an organization, that identifies, collects, describes, arranges, and makes accessible primary source material relevant to its mission.

(2) EDUCATION- The term `education' means all aspects of American pedagogy, including public and private institutions, all levels of schooling, and all specializations, including special education and vocational education.

(3) MUSEUM- The term `museum' means an organization that identifies, collects, describes, arranges, and interprets artifacts relevant to its mission.

END