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LEGISLATION FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM

At its May 6, 1992 meeting, the Board of Regents concurred in the plan to reduce the scope of the National Air and Space Museum Extension to be located at Dulles International Airport and requested its Congressional members ot introduce and support legislation authorizing $9 million for its detailed planning and design. Legislation for the purpose had earlier been introduced in the Senate (S. 289) and was then introduced in the House (H.R. 2756). Hearings were held in the House on June 26 before Mr. Savage Chairman of the Public Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee of the Public Works Committee, which covered a variety of matters, and on July 30 before Mr. Clay, Chairman of the Libraries and Memorials Subcommittee of the House Administration Committee, which was devoted on to the Extension. At the latter hearing, testimony was heard from Senator Garn and Messrs. Skaggs, Cardin, Hoyer, and Wolfe reflecting various support for locating the Extension at Dulles, Stapleton Airport (Denver) or Baltimore-Washington Airport. Certain members of the Subcommittee expressed strong support for locating the Extension close to Washington, D.C., and for the authority of the Regents to make that decision. Both Mr. Savage and Mr. Clay may hold additional hearings. Mark-up by the House is anticipated in September with Senate action thereafter.

Budget

In budget-related actions, the Interior and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee refused to allow the Institution to spend fiscal years 1990 and 1991 planning funds on any work directly related to the Dulles site and reinforced that position in its report on the fiscal year 1992 appropriation by directing that no funds be expended until the project has been authorized. The Committee also stated that if the Extension involved more than storage, restoration and preservation activities (i.e. public-related functions), the project should be opened to competition for site selection. In its companion action on the fiscal year 1992 appropriation, the Senate Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies strongly endorsed the Regents' decision on Dulles. Assuming the availability of authorization, an amount of $8 million will be sought in the fiscal year 1993 budget to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget in September. The Governor and other senior officials of the Commonwealth of Virginia continue to promise financial support for the project. 

DRAFT OF THE FIVE-YEAR PROSPECTUS, FISCAL YEARS 1993 - 1997

The Institution will again publish the final version of the Prospectus in January 1992 in two volumes. The main volume will contain an updated message from the Secretary, statements summarizing the purpose and goals of the Institution, chapters devoted to each area of program emphasis, and an overview of forecasted resource requirements. An appendix will contain statements of mission and program emphasis for museums, galleries, research and other organizations of the Institution, along with projections of required operational resource and tables detailing planned building refurbishment. A draft of the Prospectus is to be distributed to the Regents in advance of the September meeting.