Hearing

I want to welcome Secretary Lonnie Bunch, the 14^th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and congratulate him on his appointment.  The last time I saw him, he gave eloquent and inspiring remarks on the 50^th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Secretary Bunch brings a significant amount of experience and knowledge to this position.  As Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, he oversaw the development and opening of this project.  Secretary Bunch, bringing your experience and background to bear on museums, research, and programs across the Smithsonian will be critical. 

With that said, this Committee’s jurisdiction focuses on the Smithsonian’s buildings and grounds.  The Smithsonian has 19 museums, 9 research centers, 3 cultural centers, and the National Zoo, and owns or leases nearly 14 million square feet of space and nearly 29,000 acres of land.

While the Smithsonian raises funds on its trust side, a majority of the Smithsonian’s budget is funded by the taxpayer through appropriations.  The Smithsonian’s building, acquisition, and space management practices have a significant impact on costs, accessibility to the public, and the artifacts Smithsonian is entrusted with. 

With the proposed purchase of a half million square feet of space for a headquarters building and the $650 million renovation of the Air and Space Museum, we need to ensure these projects make sense and are appropriately managed. 

We owe the taxpayer full transparency on how their taxpayer dollars are being spent and why.  That is why our oversight is critical and why it is important for this Committee to receive timely and accurate information. 

It is critical that where the Smithsonian requires authorization for projects and activities, such needs should be communicated to your authorizing committees.  In 2016, for example, the Smithsonian promised this subcommittee during a hearing that we would be kept fully up to date on its plans for its leased administrative office space, yet the Committee received few details on the plans for a new headquarters building until years later.  We still have questions on this acquisition and whether the proposed arrangement – a condo-style purchase – makes sense.

We know your deferred maintenance is significant.  We also recognize the challenge with balancing budget constraints with the need to invest in maintenance to avoid more costly repairs in the future.  But, if we can find ways to better utilize the trust side to address this issue, we can leverage private dollars to potentially help meet these needs.

Secretary Bunch, I know these issues pre-date your appointment.  We look forward to working with you to improve transparency and communication, and working together to find innovative ways to help you manage the space you need to carry out your mission.