American Latino and Women’s History museums passed in year-end deal

Congress passed $900 billion pandemic relief package and $1.4 trillion spending bill on Monday

A sweeping year-end deal to provide a second round of coronavirus relief and government funding has included the go-ahead for the creation of an American Latino and American Women's History Museum.

The long-awaited deal, which includes a $900 billion pandemic relief package that would finally deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals, was passed by Congress on Monday.

Amid the deal is the go-ahead for the creation of the two new museums as part of the Smithsonian Institution, after separate bills for institutions were blocked earlier this month on the Senate floor.

“My bill to create a National @LatinoMuseum was included in the final annual spending bill that Congress is expected to pass today!,” Sen Bob Menendez tweeted on Monday.

“This is a big win for Latinos all across our country. We will finally have a Latino Museum that elevates our stories & history.”

New York Representative Carolyn Maloney, who sponsored the House version of the Women's History Museum Bill, said in a statement on Monday that she was “thrilled” about the move.

“Building a Smithsonian Women’s History Museum, a testament to the women who helped build and shape this nation, has been years in the making, and I am thrilled that we are finally set to pass this historic legislation,” she said.

“For too long, women’s stories have been left out of the telling of our nation’s history, but with this vote, we begin to rectify that."

After the House passed bills for the creation of both museums earlier this month, Utah senator Mike Lee blocked them, saying the creation of museums that celebrate individual groups “weaponises diversity”.

The lead sponsors of the separate bills published a letter on 11 December to Senate and House leaders to include both pieces of legislation in the year-end omnibus spending package.

“As we strive to become a more perfect Union, Congress must lead the way to ensure all Americans are included in our shared history. We are all part of this grand experiment in democracy and have contributed much to its greatness,” the letter read.

“Our voices deserve to be heard and our stories deserve to be told for generations to come.  Otherwise, the story of America, and its struggles and triumphs, would be rendered incomplete.”