Defense Bill Includes Commission for National Women's Museum

The massive defense authorization bill includes a provision to create a commission to study the possibility of creating a national women's history museum.

Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee received overwhelming support for the measure to establish the commission in May, but it was stopped in the Senate by unanimous consent after Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Mike Lee of Utah argued that it would add to the federal deficit, The Hill is reporting.

The commission will study what it will take to build the museum either on or near the national mall.

Both Maloney and Blackburn say that at this stage the commission will not cost any money for taxpayers, and if it goes as they have planned, it will be funded with private donations.

The New York Democrat has been pushing for the creation of a national women's history museum since 1998.

The $585 billion defense measure was passed by the House Thursday by a vote of 300 to 119 and is now headed to the Senate.

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