Viewing page 79 of 164

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

- 60 -

and he offered to distribute them later to other Regents who would be interested. The Secretary suggested that, subject to the views of the Executive Committee, the significant contributions "The Buried Mirror" makes to a broader understanding of Hispanic history and culture outweigh the degree of controversy to which the Smithsonian may be subjected by its association with this project. In discussion, the Secretary agreed that he and the staff might explore a way of distancing the Smithsonian from Fuentes' commentary without entirely disassociating itself.

RESOLUTION FROM THE WESTERN GOVERNORS' ASSOCIATION

The Secretary noted that an expression of opinion recently received from the Association of Western Governors cities the proportion of the U.S. population which lives west of the Mississippi and makes two "policy" recommendations:

1. More of our national treasures should be more readily accessible to the citizens of the West, and such displays should not be confined to areas of the country that are remote from such a substantial segment of the nation's population.

2. The process for selecting sites for new or expanding national museums, such as the Air and Space Museum, should be open to ensure all relevant factors are taken into account in selecting the site--cost, research, access and care of artifacts house with the museum.

The Secretary observed that, while the Governors' resolution does not mention Denver's Stapleton Airport, the Governor of Colorado, one of the two sponsors of this resolution, has a strong interest in seeing a National Air and Space Museum presence at that airport when its operations are transferred to a new site.

OPINION OF THE SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE

The Secretary reported that the Senate Ethics Committee has determined that Senator Inouye, as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations