Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017

Floor Speech

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Ms. MENG. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Calvert for supporting this amendment as well as my friend, Ranking Member McCollum. Thank you to you both.

Mr. Chair, this amendment reduces the Smithsonian Institution account on page 120, line 23, of the bill by $300,000, and then increases it by the same amount. The purpose of the amendment is to ensure that the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center receives a $300,000 increase over last year's enacted funding amount, consistent with the President's request in his fiscal year 2017 budget.

The Congressional Budget Office scored this amendment as budget neutral, and more than enough money exists in the $515,000 increase to the Smithsonian's `Administration' account, which funds the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, to accomplish the goal of my amendment.

Frankly speaking, I do not care where the Committee, or the Board of Regents, wish to reallocate funds from, I only wish to seek assurance that the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center will receive the $300,000 increase it so justly deserves. Thank you again, Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum, for agreeing to this funding level moving forward.

According to the Smithsonian's budget justification to Congress, these additional funds will be used to provide for the salaries and benefits of one associate program director, one curator for Asian Pacific studies, and one education coordinator.

With the addition of three additional staff, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center will be able to continue to serve as the leading voice on the Asian Pacific American experience, as well as host events in cities across the country.

Mr. Chair, I believe the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center deserves our support, and I thank everyone in this Chamber this evening for agreeing with me.

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