Congressmen Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Tim Bishop (D-NY) this week introduced a bill (H.R. 6883) to consider the establishment of a “National Museum of the American People” in Washington, DC. The Museum would tell the story of the making of the American people, starting with the first migrations some 20,000 years ago and extending that story through the waves of migration and immigration that lead up to the present day.

The bill would create a commission of 17 members and would be charged with exploring such issues as the site of the Museum, details of the story the Museum would tell, the cost to build the Museum and a fundraising plan to achieve it, the components of the Museum, and a legislative and general plan to build and operate the Museum.