Protecting Our History Act of 2026

Congress finds the following:

(1) The Smithsonian Institution, established by an Act of Congress in 1846, is a trust instrumentality of the United States, operating under the supervision of the Board of Regents and funded in part by Federal appropriations.

(2) The National Museum of African American History and Culture, established by an Act of Congress in 2003 (Pub. L. 108–184; 117 Stat. 2677) and opened to the public in 2016, is the Nation's principal institution documenting the central role that African Americans have played in building, defending, and advancing the United States, and represents the paradigmatic case of a Federally supported cultural institution whose independence this Act is designed to protect.

(3) Across the United States, Federally supported cultural institutions—including African American museums, Indigenous cultural centers, Latino heritage museums, Asian American cultural institutions, and other community-based museums—play a vital role in preserving and presenting the full and inclusive story of America.

(4) The mission of the Smithsonian is the increase and diffusion of knowledge, which includes the preservation of American history in all its dimensions, including scientific, cultural, social, and political.

(5) Efforts to restrict or dictate the content of Smithsonian exhibits based on political ideology undermine academic freedom, distort the historical record, and deny Americans access to truthful and inclusive education.

(6) Inclusive and comprehensive history strengthens democracy by ensuring all Americans see their contributions and experiences reflected in the national story.

(7) Congress has both the constitutional power of the purse and the duty to safeguard Federally supported museums and cultural institutions from political interference.