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established the Smithsonian Institution and vested the executive authority of the United States as trustee in the Smithsonian Board of Regents, composed of the Chief Justice, the Vice President, three members of the Senate, three members of the House of Representatives, and nine citizen members appointed by Joint Resolution of Congress.

All of the property of the Smithsonian Institution, real and personal, is held in trust for the United States pursuant to these two statutes.  The Act of 1846 appropriated to the Institution the lands selected for buildings for the Smithsonian Institution, 40 U.S.C. Sec. 52.  The tax exempt status of the real property of the Institution has been recognized throughout this 127 year period.

I shall be happy to furnish whatever additional information you might require.

Sincerely yours,

[[signed]]

Peter G. Powers 
General Counsel

Enclosure