Recently, U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin)a co-chair of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucusintroduced two measures to begin the process of creating a National Museum of American LGBTQ+ History and Culture.
Pocan, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, introduced bills to establish a commission to study the potential creation of a National Museum of American LGBTQ+ History and Culture and to establish it within the Smithsonian Institution. Both bills are required to be signed into law to create a new Smithsonian Museum.
The first bill creates an eight-member commissionconsisting of individuals with various expertise in museum planning or LGBTQ+ research and cultureto look into the viability of establishing such a facility in the nation's capital.
The bill would also direct the commission's recommendations to address whether the museum should be part of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum and research complex. The commission would have 18 months to complete the full study.
All nine openly LGBTQ+ members of Congress as well as 50 other members are sponsors of this legislation.