House Votes to Create a National Museum of the American Latino

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Julia Jacobs

A report released in 2011 proposed a 310,000-square-foot building, roughly the same size as the African-American museum, that would be situated prominently on the National Mall.Credit...Alyssa Schukar for The New York Times

Supporters of a National Museum of the American Latino are the closest they have ever been to gaining a spot on the National Mall. On Monday, the House passed a bill to establish such a museum within the Smithsonian, delivering a significant victory to a yearslong effort to build an institution devoted to the history and contributions of Latino Americans. Legislation establishing such a museum was first introduced in 2011, but this was the first time it secured House approval, and it did so by voice vote with bipartisan support. Prospects for a Senate version of the bill are unclear, but its Republican lead sponsor, Senator John Cornyn of Texas, said that he hopes that the chamber will be able to make the museum a reality.[More]