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[[preprinted]]
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES AND TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE
of the
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, ROOM B-350-A-B
WASHINGTON, DC 20515
(202) 225-7620
[[/preprinted]]

January 26, 1989

Chief Justice William Rehnquist
Chanvellor
Board of Regents
Smithsonian Institution
100 Jefferson Drive, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20566

Dear Honorable Chief Justice:

We are writing about the proposal which will be presented on January 30 to the Smithsonian Board of Regents by the Executive Committee concerning five black tenants who now live on the grounds of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, Maryland. The proposal -- which we were told would mirror an agreement worked out between our staffs and the Smithsonian -- now applies to only four of the tenants. Therefore, we are requesting that the board oppose the recommendation of the Executive Committee.

The five tenants occupy less than 10 acres of the over 2,600 acres the Smithsonian has acquired in the Rhode River watershed during the past two decades. The tenants, come of whom had worked for the previous property owners and have had homes built for them by those owners, had been in their homes prior to and during the time of the Smithsonian ownership. The Smithsonian was well aware of their residency and never discussed eviction. Once of the tenants worked for a former SERC director.

Nonetheless, in August, the Smithsonian moved to evict within 30 days those tenants who did not apply for county housing, citing its need to conduct "longterm environmental research." Those who did apply were given a year to move. The Smithsonian offered no other financial assistance. (See attached letters.)

During an extensive investigation by the Subcommittee on Government Activities and Transportation (see attached letter of October 14, 1988), several facts became clear:

1) The Smithsonian staff admitted that the tenants were not interfering with "longterm environmental research."

2) The Smithsonian had sold other houses within its boundaries to white families and is allowing land owners to remain in their homes, with no adverse impact on research.