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Hearing Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight of the Smithsonian: Radical Revisionism at the National Museum of American...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026 · Transcript · 52 transcript matches
GRIFFITH, H. MORGAN "Yeah, American history, so I was disturbed to hear about the quetzal as a birder. I think it's a fabulous bird. The natural science folks ought to have that, but they ought not have it necessarily in a money display in the American Museum, the History Museum for America. I yield"
Hearing “Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Reshape the Past”
house Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee · Jul 21, 2026 · Transcript · 44 transcript matches
CLOUD, MICHAEL "The founders quoted one book more than any other book. Yes, and that book would have been the Bible. Secondly, would have been Common Sense by Thomas Paine. I went to the bookstore, I couldn't find Common Sense in the bookstore. I did find, you know, these books. Here's George Takei, it rhymes with Takei, a book in which he talks about, you know, one young man lusting after another. I'm not sure why this is in our American History Museum, in the kids section, mind you. That's that you think is important to have in the American History Museum? Who made the decision to put that in there, but..."
CRS Report
Smithsonian Institution: Selected Legislation, 118th Congress
Resources · Dec 17, 2024
The Smithsonian Institution is a complex of museum, education, research, and revenue-generating entities primarily located in the Washington, DC, region, with additional facilities and activities...
Hearing H.R. 1041 – Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act; H.R. 6047 – Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026; H.R. 1329...
house Rules Committee · May 19, 2026 · Request transcript
Hearing Legislative hearing on six bills: • H.R. 34 (Rep. Gosar), “Land and Social Security Optimization Act” or the “LASSO Act” • H.R. 1329 (Rep....
house Federal Lands Subcommittee · Feb 10, 2026 · Request transcript
Testimony CLOUD, MICHAEL
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"The founders quoted one book more than any other book. Yes, and that book would have been the Bible. Secondly, would have been Common Sense by Thomas Paine. I went to the bookstore, I couldn't find Common Sense in the bookstore. I did find, you know, these books. Here's George Takei, it rhymes with Takei, a book in which he talks about, you know, one young man lusting after another. I'm not sure why this is in our American History Museum, in the kids section, mind you. That's that you think is..."
Witness Ms. Jane Abraham
American Museum of Women's History Congressional Commission · 1 hearing
CRS Report
National Museums: In Brief
Reports · Jan 11, 2024
Of the approximately 30,000 museums in the United States, some are termed “national” museums. Some national museums are authorized by Congress and operated by the federal government. However, most...
Testimony GRIFFITH, H. MORGAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Yeah, American history, so I was disturbed to hear about the quetzal as a birder. I think it's a fabulous bird. The natural science folks ought to have that, but they ought not have it necessarily in a money display in the American Museum, the History Museum for America. I yield"
CRS Report
Monuments and Memorials in the District of Columbia: Analysis and Options for Proposed Exemptions to the Commemorative Works Act
Reports · May 8, 2023
During the course of each Congress, numerous proposals to create new commemorative works (i.e., monuments and memorials) in the District of Columbia are introduced. In evaluating each proposal,...
CRS Report
Smithsonian Institution: Background, Entities, and Leadership
Resources · Jul 26, 2024
Congress created the Smithsonian Institution in 1846, 10 years after it agreed to accept the bequest of James Smithson, an English scientist who died in 1829. Smithson left the bulk of his estate to...
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Thank you, sir. I believe that the role of the National Museum of American History, joined by many other history museums, is to present scholarly evidence based on objects, interpretation, and share those stories with the American people. You know, I think especially about the Revolution, if I may, we have a dozen exhibitions that include the founding era right now, 368 objects, 340"
CRS Report
Smithsonian Institution: Potential Effects of Executive Order 14253
Resources · Apr 23, 2025
On March 27, 2025, the President issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14253, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” Among other actions affecting Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and monuments...
Testimony SPEAKER_00
Hearings to examine the American Entrepreneurship for 250 Years: Drivi...
senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee · Apr 29, 2026
"Past generation to generation, sold on the streets of Charleston and along the highway of Mount Pleasant, long before anyone used the word small business. Today, master weavers contribute to that tradition, and those baskets command hundreds of dollars apiece, and I invite you to make sure that you view some of the ones on display at the African American Museum and the American History Museum right here in D.C. This is living heritage and living commerce"
Hearing Hearings to examine the American Entrepreneurship for 250 Years: Driving Innovation, Growth, and Opportunity.
senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee · Apr 29, 2026 · Transcript · 2 transcript matches
SPEAKER_00 "Past generation to generation, sold on the streets of Charleston and along the highway of Mount Pleasant, long before anyone used the word small business. Today, master weavers contribute to that tradition, and those baskets command hundreds of dollars apiece, and I invite you to make sure that you view some of the ones on display at the African American Museum and the American History Museum right here in D.C. This is living heritage and living commerce"
Testimony JOHNSON, JULIE
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"The promise of America, the promise of freedom, is our willingness to learn from our darkest moments. Right now, we are seeing an unprecedented level of attacks from Republicans in the Trump administration towards independent institutions, challenging historians, educators, archivists, and those who are entrusted to protect our democracy. Beginning in January 2025, with Trump's executive orders that closed diversity offices, promoted language and content changes on government websites, with..."
Testimony MR. MIKE GONZALEZ
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Chairman, Ranking Member, members of this committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. I'm a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation. The views I express in this testimony are my own. In 1964, as you mentioned, Chairman Stiles, at the opening of what was later to be renamed the National Museum of American History, President Johnson said the purpose of the museum was to, quote, foster patriotism. Director Kellogg noted that the museum would, quote, awaken a clear understanding of this..."
Testimony DR. JEFFREY ANDERSON
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"at the museum's dedication, President Johnson said its artifacts should be used to foster patriotism. Director Anthea Hartig seems like a very nice lady we just met a moment ago in the waiting room, but in marked contrast to Johnson, she has said at the National Museum of American History, we want to reframe the traditional celebratory narrative of U.S. history. She has also spoken of the need to problematize the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Increasingly, the National..."
CRS Report
Smithsonian Institution: Selected Legislation, 119th Congress
InFocus · Feb 17, 2026
This In Focus discusses enacted and proposed legislation to authorize new facilities, relationships, or programming within the Smithsonian Institution in the 119th Congress (2025-2026) to date. It...
CRS Report
Smithsonian Institution Museums: Selected Issues for Congress
Reports · May 5, 2025
The Smithsonian Institution is arguably best known for its museums along the National Mall in Washington, DC. In FY2024, Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo received approximately 16.9 million...
CRS Report
Repatriation of Native American Remains and Cultural Items: Requirements for Agencies and Institutions
Resources · May 1, 2024
Some federal agencies, museums, and other institutions have, over time, acquired human remains and cultural items related to the Indigenous peoples who originally inhabited the United States....
Testimony DR. JEFFREY ANDERSON
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"It's essentially empty. Visitors can vote with their feet, and many have. The American Alliance of Museums says 2024 attendance at a majority of U.S. museums matched or surpassed pre-COVID levels, but at the American History Museum, according to the Smithsonian's own published statistics, there were 4.1 million visits in 2018, but just 1.8 million in"
Testimony MIKE GONZALEZ
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"National museums are repositories of a nation's collective inheritance so that it can be transmitted to future generations. However, the Smithsonian's leadership has subverted this mission. Under Dr. Hartig, the history museum has erased two words from the mission statement. The first is history"
Testimony MIKE GONZALEZ
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"to force a, quote, national reckoning. National reckoning from a history museum? This erasure of American culture must end"
Testimony BURCHETT, TIM
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"One time I made the mistake of calling a coach mister, and he reminded me he was coach, so you earned that title and you get it. I do appreciate your constant land acknowledgments that were in the film. I'm wondering, have you ever planned on dating any of your personal property or property of the Smithsonian to any of these tribes? Well, I mean, you say that every time you open your meetings, apparently. And I was just curious of that acknowledgment, if that was something you were planning on..."
Testimony SUBRAMANYAM, SUHAS
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"And the report complained that Thomas Jefferson's writing desk and George Washington's uniform were not on prominent display. Were they on display at the American History Museum? And then it said it didn't have quotes from the Declaration of"
Testimony MACE, NANCY
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"Sexual imagery, provocative sexual imagery appropriate for kids, yes or no? You strive to represent queer, pedophiles, indoctrination, grooming of kids at an American history museum, and it sounds like you're proud of it. You won't answer the questions, probably because you're ashamed, and as a woman, I really can't believe you will sit here today and you can't even admit that sexual imagery, like this behind me. They tell me, my staff tells me, this little trinket around the penis. This is..."
Testimony MACE, NANCY
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"I know, you had the little disclaimer thing, which is sort of a— Okay, do you think that's an appropriate thing to put in an American history museum, where there are children walking through? We're talking about American"
Testimony MACE, NANCY
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"What is a woman, Dr. Hartig? You sexualized the American History Museum, so this is a fair question. What is a"
Testimony MACE, NANCY
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"This is— Okay, this is a display, and it has a glossary that says other countries recognize three or more genders. So I would like you to enlighten me today. You're the director of the American History Museum who has sexualized things in front of kids. I want to know, I want to ask you, how many genders are there? How many genders are there, and what are they? One of your exhibits at the American History Museum says sometimes gender isn't revealed You have a display at the American History..."
Testimony STANSBURY, MELANIE A.
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"This is the American flag that is famous. It is one of the most prominently displayed exhibits at the American History Museum. This is Abraham Lincoln's"
Testimony BOEBERT, LAUREN
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"There's over 50 billion more you can add to that. I believe when the Director of America's History Museum finds it complicated to love her country and wants to problematize its founding, I believe that that's the definition of undoing our shared national"
Testimony STEIL, BRYAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"liberated Europe, we planted the American flag on the moon. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History was established by Congress to champion our story. In 1953, the Smithsonian told Congress the National American History Museum would commemorate our heritage of freedom. In 1953, the Smithsonian told Congress the National American History Museum would commemorate our heritage of"
Testimony STEIL, BRYAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"or woke talking points, America is loved and admired. It's time the American History Museum returned to its core founding mission when it was created, fostering patriotism and telling our story of"
Testimony MORELLE, JOSEPH D.
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Jefferson's desk, Washington's uniform, and the star-spangled banner? A report that condemns exhibits about people, I quote, foreign to the United States, then names those foreigners Mexican-Americans, Filipino-Americans. In other words, Americans. The Smithsonian is where a free nation tells its full story, triumphs and struggles. The story belongs to no president. It does not need saving from the historians who tell it. It needs saving from the ignorant, ill-informed man on the other side of..."
Testimony MR. MIKE GONZALEZ
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Present leadership cannot make the changes that are needed to correct course. Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, Anthea Hardig, the director of the History Museum and one of today's witnesses, and other museum leaders have commandeered the world's largest museum complex and tell us themselves that they intend to use it as a tool for societal"
Testimony MR. MIKE GONZALEZ
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"It is they who set the standards and guide the staff. In one example, the leadership of the History Museum for years made staff take part in a reading group to discuss the museum as a site for social action toolkit, also called a mass action toolkit, that alleges that objectivity, quote, I'm quoting here, objectivity, individualism, perfectionism, worship of the written word, and other traits are characteristics of white supremacy culture. It apologized in 2020 after the National Museum of..."
Testimony STEIL, BRYAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"I now recognize myself for five minutes. Director Hartig, do you believe that the American History Museum should be politically neutral? Do you believe that the American History Museum should advocate for contemporary political or social causes? Do you believe that the American History Museum should advocate for contemporary political or social"
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Yes, sir. No, sir. The American History Museum does not advocate."
Testimony STEIL, BRYAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Do you believe that the American History Museum should advocate for contemporary political or social causes? Do you think the American History Museum should avoid the appearance of bias? Do you believe that one of your roles is connecting research and scholarship to advocacy and"
Testimony STEIL, BRYAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"One of your roles as a historian is to, go ahead. And do you think that that is important to show that advocacy and activism at the National History Museum? So I'm just trying to, help me square this. You think that the American History Museum should not advocate for political or social causes, you just said that, you think it should be politically neutral, but you also are stating that one of your core roles is connecting research and scholarship to activism and advocacy. So I'm just trying..."
Testimony SEWELL, TERRI A.
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"These are important institutions. Now this administration's crusade to take control of the quote American history museum, I think is not only dangerous, it's perilous. On March 27, 2025, the president issued his executive order entitled restoring truth and sanity to the American"
Testimony JOHNSON, JULIE
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"But this president has sought to erase from history the contributions and strengths of women, of black people, of Hispanic people, of indigenous people, and basically imposing a racist sense of historical impact on the evolution of our country. There is a long list of concerns about this administration's executive overreach, but today we're focusing on the American History Museum, and I am deeply offended by some of the comments that some of the panelists have said today. That, for example, Mr...."
Testimony JOHNSON, JULIE
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"You know, Ms. Hardig, I am sorry you're facing such attacks. The American History Museum brings delight to families all across this country. I've taken my own kids"
Testimony MURPHY, GREGORY F.
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Ms. Hart, you said you wanted us to do research, but you've removed, it's my understanding, did you remove rigorous research from the mission statement for the American History Museum? That's what I have down here. Yes or"
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Thank you, sir. I'm happy to answer. I'm happy to answer. I would argue that the American History Museum. I believe I was saying to open the aperture of inquiry, to examine the richness"
Testimony CAREY, MIKE
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"The world's. You're correct. It is the world's best hope. Lincoln, who then liked to paraphrase Jefferson, as you would know, in the declaration, giving liberty not alone to the people of this country, but to the world for all future times. So, let me go back to my original question. Why do you think that American history should be erased from the mission statement of the National American History Museum? In three"
Testimony MILLER, MARY E.
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"So, ma'am, if I can answer your question- funded museum every year coming to learn about the nation's history. They deserve a straightforward explanation for why they are being exposed to this kind of Okay, the American History Museum educational material asserts that there are more than two genders, and imply that biological males should be permitted to compete in women's"
Testimony JORDAN, JIM
H.R. 9098, the Congressional Records Protection Act; H. Res. 1394, Con...
house Judiciary Committee · Jul 15, 2026
"Without objection, the bill will be considered as read and open for amendment at any point. at any point. The chair is now recognized for an opening statement. H.R. 9191 continues the tradition of Congress designating certain plants and animals with significant connection to the United States as national symbols. In 1998, Congress designated the rose as the national floral emblem. In 2004, Congress designated the oak tree as the national tree of the United States. Most recent, Congress..."
CRS Report
Connecting Constituents with Federal Assistance for the Arts and Humanities
InFocus · Apr 8, 2026
The National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities is the primary vehicle for federal support for the arts and the humanities. Established in 1965, the foundation currently consists of three...
Hearing H.R. 9098, the Congressional Records Protection Act; H. Res. 1394, Condemning prosecution policies that give preferential treatment to foreign...
house Judiciary Committee · Jul 15, 2026 · Transcript
JORDAN, JIM "Without objection, the bill will be considered as read and open for amendment at any point. at any point. The chair is now recognized for an opening statement. H.R. 9191 continues the tradition of Congress designating certain plants and animals with significant connection to the United States as national symbols. In 1998, Congress designated the rose as the national floral emblem. In 2004, Congress designated the oak tree as the national tree of the United States. Most recent, Congress designated the bald eagle as the national bird. I figured that would have been done prior to 24, but it was..."
Hearing Hearings to examine platform power as section 230 turns 30.
senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee · Mar 18, 2026 · Transcript
BALDWIN, TAMMY "to pressure private companies into moderating or removing content that they cannot legally censor directly. I was listening with interest of the previous senator's questioning and certainly feel like there's examples we can draw upon from multiple administrations, including this one. President Trump has attempted to rewrite history by forcing museums to remove content. Brendan Carr, the head of the FCC, has threatened broadcasters' licenses, including very recently who air unflattering news about this administration and this"
Testimony DR. MATTHEW SPALDING
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"But it no longer provides the story that makes those objects intelligible. Indeed, the National Museum of American History is no longer the nation's museum of American history. The White House Domestic Policy Report, Saving America's Story, catalogs in great"
CRS Report
Military Memorials, Monuments, and Museums: Selected Resources for Federal, State, and Local Funding
Report · Feb 12, 2026
This report provides selected resources to aid congressional offices with constituents seeking potential funding opportunities for military-related historic preservation and commemoration projects...
Testimony BURCHETT, TIM
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"Mouse of having racist origins. The many examples of politicization of the museum are well documented in the comprehensive report the White House Domestic Policy Council recently issued on July 4th, the nation's 250th anniversary. The report makes clear that the museum's woke exhibits and materials afflict a broader vision held by the museum leadership, particularly its director, Dr. Aletha Hartig, who is here today with us. Dr. Hartig proudly takes credit for changing the museum's mission..."
CRS Report
SBA Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program (SVOG)
Reports · Jul 5, 2022
The Small Business Administration (SBA) administers several types of programs to support small businesses, including direct disaster loan programs to assist their recovery from natural disasters;...
Testimony MIKE GONZALEZ
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"She also said that loving America is complicated. Dr. Hartig, the Director of the National Museum of American History, has deconstructed the museum's mission statement to borrow terms of the postmodernists who clearly guide her work. We're here today, as she said, because on July 4th, the White House released a"
CRS Report
Coins and Medals Celebrating the Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
InFocus · Apr 16, 2026
On July 4, the United States celebrates the anniversary of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence with a federal holiday called Independence Day. For certain milestone anniversaries,...
CRS Report
Comparing Police Reform Bills: the Justice in Policing Act and the JUSTICE Act
Posts · Jul 6, 2020
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd died in the custody of the Minneapolis police after an officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck while restraining him. That incident, others like it, and subsequent...
Testimony STANSBURY, MELANIE A.
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"that does not send a chill through your spine, I do not know what does. And they assigned the vice president, J.D. Vance, because of his assigned role as the vice president, as the board of regents, for the responsibility of advancing these objectives. But I want to be clear, this order wasn't simply about exhibits. It was about exercising political control over historical scholarship. And what we saw earlier this month, which was just referenced by the chairman, is that this White House issued..."
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"I don't believe that's pertinent to the conversation, sir. Yes, sir. At the National Museum of American History, we strive to create a museum where our visitors will be inspired by the collections, programs, and exhibitions, and they will choose what they each will do to keep our American democracy strong and vibrant, and they'll play that chosen part with passion. That is our hope. So the Smithsonian and the museum are committed to rigorous, fact-based museum quality experiences, and to tell..."
Testimony FALLON, PAT
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"I think we would all agree, people now. And the precursor to your museum was the National Museum of History and Technology, and that's important for a minute. And they wanted to always focus on the story of American progress. Director, do you love the United States of"
Testimony DR. JEFFREY ANDERSON
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Chairman Stile, Ranking Member Morelli, and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. The National Museum of American History is perhaps the most important museum in America. Yet rather than depicting American history traditionally and conventionally as the glorious and inspiring, though imperfect, story of a nation conceived in"
CRS Report
Discontinuation of U.S. Circulating Coins: Selected Examples
Resources · Jul 16, 2025
In February 2025, President Trump announced that he was ordering the Secretary of the Treasury to stop the production of pennies. There have been past instances in which the United States has...
Testimony MILLER, MARY E.
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Thank you, Chairman Steyl, for holding this important hearing to examine how the Smithsonian Institution has abandoned its mission to remain unbiased in preserving and telling our proud American history. Each year, approximately four million people walk through the doors of the National Museum of American History. Instead of inspiring pride in our nation, the museum teaches visitors to be ashamed of their history and to hate the institutions that made America the greatest country"
Testimony BURCHETT, TIM
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"core issues of our time, and do we want to guess what they are? Race and identity, gender and sexuality, environmental change, immigration and migrations, and economic inequality top the list. Also, a Center for Restorative Justice at the museum, created under Dr. Hartig's watch, hosted a decolonization working group to investigate historical harms that result in ongoing systematic oppression. To remove any doubt about her intentions, Dr. Hartig, in her own words, states that she views history..."
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"teaching, and preserving the history of the United States. My family has served this nation since the Revolutionary War, and I was raised with a deep sense of obligation to this country and to the democratic ideals that it asked each generation to uphold. Since 2019, I have been honored to serve as the Elizabeth McMillan Director of your National Museum of American History, home of the Star-Spangled Banner. It is a true honor to serve alongside my devoted fellow public servants who staff the..."
CRS Report
National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities: FY2024 Appropriations
Reports · Nov 6, 2024
The National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities is the primary vehicle for federal support for the arts and the humanities. Established in 1965, the foundation currently consists of three...
Testimony LEE, LAUREL M.
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"and identity, gender and sexuality, environmental change, immigration, economic inequality. And so I'd like to start with you, Mr. Gonzalez, and get back to the idea of what is an accurate or inaccurate story of American history. Would it be an inaccurate presentation of American history if our museum instead made an effort to present to those who came to see it an interpretation that involved our founding documents, like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the separation of..."
Testimony CLOUD, MICHAEL
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"That would be the Declaration of Independence, ma'am. I was surprised to find that in the Museum of American History on the 250th year of our anniversary, there's not an exhibit for the Declaration of Independence. Now, sure, there's Jefferson's desk, and it takes up a very small space in a lot. But you would think, I went through the museum, looking for the words, we the people. And you would think when you walked in, that would be the biggest, boldest thing, especially on the 250th..."
Testimony BURCHETT, TIM
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"from the Tennessee State Senate. I've spent 12 years in that body, and they actually do a lot of great things for the great state of Tennessee. So thank you, gentlemen and lady, for being here. You're very welcome. Good morning. We're here to find out about how a once-proud American institution fell victim to ideological capture and how to rescue it. The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History was opened in 1964 to instill in Americans and foreign visitors alike an..."
Testimony BURCHETT, TIM
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"First, we have Dr. Anthea Hartig. Dr. Hartig serves as the Director of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution. Next, we have Mike"
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"Chairman Burchett, Ranking Member Stansbury, and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I know this committee has questions about the National Museum of American History, and I welcome the chance to answer them. As an historian, I have spent my career studying, teaching, and preserving the history of the United"
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"My family has served this nation since the Revolutionary War, and I was raised with a deep sense of obligation to it and the democratic ideals that the country asks each generation to build and to uphold. Since 2019, I have been honored to serve as the Elizabeth MacMillan Director of your National Museum of American History, home of the Star-Spangled Banner. It is a true honor to serve alongside my devoted fellow public servants who staff the museum, and I am immensely proud of our"
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"No one told them to. That is the National Museum of American History at its most powerful. Patriotism, not instructed, but"
Testimony DR. MATTHEW SPALDING
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"Thank you, Chairman Burchett, Ranking Member Stansbury, members of the committee. The National Museum of American History is one of the country's greatest treasures. It contains some of the most iconic artifacts of American"
Testimony DR. MATTHEW SPALDING
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"That is the big picture, the forest we should not miss for all the trees. But don't take my word for it. The current director has said that at the National Museum of American History, we work to reframe the traditional silvatory narrative of U.S. history. The Center for Restorative History at the museum described its work as systemic intervention instead of intended to transform the national historical narrative and restructure institutional priorities. The Center for Restorative History at the..."
Testimony DR. MATTHEW SPALDING
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"challenging the social order, and instigating political and social action. This is not the purpose of the National Museum of American History. It is not the mission of the Smithsonian. A National Museum of American History should tell the American national"
Testimony DR. MATTHEW SPALDING
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"But social transformation should not be the objective. The National Museum of American History should tell the story of a nation and a people driven to overcome injustice and live up to its heritage, a story of imperfection but also overwhelming accomplishment, of tragedies but also great triumphs, of hardship but also heroism. Over the course of our history, Americans have made choices, taken actions,"
Testimony DR. DAVID BLIGHT, PH.D.
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"The report is rooted explicitly in the Cold War of the 1950s. In the founding of the National Museum of American History, its legislation and dedication speeches, the founding words and sentiments understandably breathed the rhetoric of Cold War triumphalism. How could it have been"
Testimony BURCHETT, TIM
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"No, you don't. You're not answering. You're just running on, ma'am. And I appreciate your hospitality, but the reality is you are not answering the questions. You're funded by taxpayers, and the taxpayers would like to know, is that appropriate? I understand you're not going to answer, and I'm going to run out of time. But given some of your previous comments, including America was founded based on the supremacy of white men, loving America is very complicated. America's 250th anniversary is..."
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"So, sir, Girlhood, It's Complicated was not designed for children. It had a label in the beginning of the exhibition that shared with parents about some of the topics that would be covered. And we do that with exhibitions that we think kind of need that help, so parents then can come and look at objects. It's the honor of my career to serve as the Elizabeth McMillan Director of the National Museum of American History. Thank you,"
Testimony CLOUD, MICHAEL
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"Director Hartig. I visited, as I have many times, the Museum of American History. And what I think I find most troubling is the fact that you can do a lot with real history. And what's concerning is the distortion, I think, of the truth and in the context. And just for example, the American Democracy, A Great Leap of Faith, you know, this exhibit, you turn the corner and the first thing you see is this. It's a wall. And the two words, of course, that pop out are privilege and slavery. Now, is..."
Testimony MACE, NANCY
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Dr. Hartig, how many children visited the National Museum of American History last year? Answer the question, how many"
Testimony DR. DAVID BLIGHT, PH.D.
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"Look, the purpose of history is to enlighten us, inspire us, trouble us, bother us, sometimes I find it hard to believe that a young person could go through the Museum of American History and not come out at least inspired with the single most important thing, a sense of the past, a sense of history. Americans have to keep going to those places they"
Testimony STANSBURY, MELANIE A.
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"This is, of course, R2-D2, Star Wars, we've got some Star Wars fans, Ruby Slippers. This is the first Wright Flyer, the Wright Brothers, and, of course, this is the command module of Apollo 11, which was instrumental in the first landing on the moon. That is American history, and this is what's featured in the American history and other museums of the Smithsonian. And so notwithstanding this crazy report that just got added into the record, and notwithstanding the insane testimony we heard..."
Testimony BOEBERT, LAUREN
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"Madam Director, you changed the museum's mission away from preserving and presenting American history toward empowering people to create a more just and compassionate future. Who gave you the authority to turn the National Museum of American History into a vehicle for progressive political"
Testimony STEIL, BRYAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"The title of today's hearing is Oversight of the Smithsonian, Radical Revisionism at the National Museum of American History. I note that a quorum is present without"
Testimony STEIL, BRYAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"I yield back and recognize the ranking member for five minutes for his opening statement. objection, all other members' opening statements will be made part of the hearing record if they're submitted to the committee clerk by 5 p.m. today. Today we have a four-witness panel. We have Dr. Anthea Hartig, Director of the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution. Next, we have Mike Gonzalez of the Heritage Foundation, followed by Jeff Anderson of the Sterling Professor of..."
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Good morning, Chairman Stile, Ranking Member Morelli, and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to be with you here today. I welcome the chance to answer your questions about the National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian Institution, and I appreciate the committee's important oversight role. As a historian, I have spent my career studying, teaching, and preserving the history of the United States. My family has served this nation since the Revolutionary War, and..."
Testimony DR. JEFFREY ANDERSON
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"We don't have a country without him. None of that sentiment appears in the newer exhibits at the National Museum of American History. That's because such exhibits aren't designed by old-school"
Testimony DR. DAVID BLIGHT
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"In this report, they have transparently done exactly that. The report is rooted explicitly in the founding of the National Museum of American History in the Cold War of the 1950s in its dedication speeches and so forth. The founding words and sentiments are quite understandably breathing a kind of rhetoric of Cold War"
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"So one of the roles of an historian- One of the key things a historian does, especially at the National Museum of American History, is to tie threads together. As a historian, I believe that intellectually, we can connect those two together,"
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"No, sir. One of my roles as a historian and the director of the National Museum of American History is to help connect the long history of activism and advocacy on all topics, from gun rights to identity to immigration, that is a connection that I"
Testimony MORELLE, JOSEPH D.
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Yeah, I don't mean to cut you short, but I appreciate that. I cannot ask Dr. Blight a question that doesn't relate to Frederick Douglass. So thank you for your work. And I talked about his connection to Rochester, which I'm incredibly proud of. What would he say about this report that instructs the National Museum of American History which parts of the story it's permitted to tell? Can you channel having spent so much time on him? And do it in 30 seconds."
Testimony GRIFFITH, H. MORGAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Thank you. Dr. Anderson, I was shocked, quite frankly, shocked. And I want you to explain a little bit, if you could, in your written testimony and in your oral testimony, you said the National Museum of American History says little to nothing, or has, says little to nothing to say about a wide range of major events in American"
Testimony DR. ANTHEA HARTIG
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Ma'am. We have not held, to the best of my knowledge, at the National Museum of American History a drag, what was it, a drag show, a drag story"
Testimony CAREY, MIKE
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"and then end of quote, to get out of the American first mentality, end of quote, adding it's a big challenge, especially going into 2026, which will be the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We'll touch on that in just a minute. Now, if I'm not mistaken, the goal of the museum, the American History was opened, obviously, in 1964, but the goal of the museum was to showcase Americans' heritage of freedom, install faith in our country's destiny, illuminate our..."
Testimony MILLER, MARY E.
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Instead, they're confronted with this indecency. Who honestly believes that this belongs in a museum of American history?"
Testimony MILLER, MARY E.
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"I cannot even imagine why you would do that. Does it make sense to you that sexual material would be on display in the National Museum of American History in the first place? Just answer my"
Testimony BALDWIN, TAMMY
Hearings to examine platform power as section 230 turns 30.
senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee · Mar 18, 2026
"to pressure private companies into moderating or removing content that they cannot legally censor directly. I was listening with interest of the previous senator's questioning and certainly feel like there's examples we can draw upon from multiple administrations, including this one. President Trump has attempted to rewrite history by forcing museums to remove content. Brendan Carr, the head of the FCC, has threatened broadcasters' licenses, including very recently who air unflattering news..."
Testimony CAREY, MIKE
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"But just a few things that I was looking through the testimony, and unfortunately we had to miss part of this because we're in the Ways and Means Committee. I do want to touch on just a couple things, and then I'm going to ask some questions to you, Doctor, regarding some of your statements. According to the Domestic Policy Council's report, in June 2024 presentation to undergraduate and graduate history students, you explained that the museum removed the phrase, quote, end of quote, American..."
Testimony FROST, MAXWELL
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"I've been in these museums. I mean, talking about the National Museum of African American History and Culture specifically, it tells the whole"
Testimony JACKSON, JONATHAN L.
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"History is something that we should learn from. And to the degree that Mr. Trump, specifically on the 4th of July of 2026, took further attacks at the National Museum of African American History, I thought was very concerning. And he says that it is divisive, that we should show the happier side of American"
Testimony COONS, CHRISTOPHER A.
Hearings to examine the American Entrepreneurship for 250 Years: Drivi...
senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee · Apr 29, 2026
"Last, I know I've probably imposed on your patience, Madam Chair, Ms. Doherty, I was just in Charleston, and the sweetgrass baskets you spoke of were beautifully displayed at an event that I was at. I have been there a number of times many years ago, but we were visiting a new museum of African American history of slavery. Do you think opportunities like that, there was a display of low country"
Testimony PRESSLEY, AYANNA
“Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Re...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"and eventually art pieces were confiscated from museums and locked away or sold. In 1939, Nazis publicly burned thousands of paintings that they couldn't profit from. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum details much of this history. Fascist attacks on museums are not just about history. Fascist attacks on museums are not just about"
Testimony LOUDERMILK, BARRY
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Hearing, “Oversight o...
house Committee on House Administration · Jul 22, 2026
"Wouldn't that be an important story, I think, to tell, especially our children? All right, thank you. Dr. Harding, do you believe it is the role of the museum to objectively display the history of the United States or subjectively interpret our past to shape the thoughts, beliefs, and understanding of future generations? Do you believe it's important to show the entire story, the whole story, to present all"
Hearing Hearings to examine S.290, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to upgrade existing emergency communications centers in units of the National...
senate National Parks Subcommittee · Dec 9, 2025 · Request transcript