United States · statute · 20 U.S.C. · 1,553 active provisions
The President, the Vice President, the Chief Justice, and the heads of executive departments are constituted an establishment by the name of the Smithsonian Institution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men, and by that name shall be known and have perpetual succession with the powers, limitations, and…
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution may modify the number of members, manner of appointment of members, or tenure of members, of the boards or commissions under the jurisdiction of the Smithsonian Institution, other than—
The regents to be selected shall be appointed as follows: The Members of the Senate by the President thereof; the Members of the House by the Speaker thereof; and the nine other persons by joint resolution of the Congress. The Members of the House so appointed shall serve for the term of two years; and on every alterna…
The Board of Regents shall meet in the city of Washington and elect one of their number as chancellor, who shall be the presiding officer of the Board of Regents, and called the chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution, and a suitable person as Secretary of the institution, who shall also be the secretary of the Board…
The members of the institution may hold stated and special meetings, for the supervision of the affairs of the institution and the advice and instruction of the Board of Regents, to be called in the manner provided for in the by-laws of the institution, at which the President, and in his absence the Vice President, sha…
The Secretary of the Board of Regents shall take charge of the building and property of the institution, and shall, under their direction, make a fair and accurate record of all their proceedings, to be preserved in the institution until no longer needed in conducting current business; and shall also discharge the duti…
The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, subject to adequate security and other investigations as he may determine to be appropriate, and subject further to a prior determination by him that no qualified United States citizen is available for the particular position involved, is authorized to employ and compensate…
The chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution may, by an instrument in writing filed in the office of the Secretary thereof, designate and appoint a suitable person to act as Secretary of the Institution when there shall be a vacancy in said office, and whenever the Secretary shall be unable from illness, absence, or o…
The Secretary and his assistants shall, respectively, receive for their services such sum as may be allowed by the Board of Regents; and shall be removable by the Board of Regents whenever, in their judgment, the interests of the institution require such removal.
Whenever suitable arrangements can be made from time to time for their reception, all objects of art and of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, and geological and mineralogical specimens belonging to the United States, which may be in the city of Washington, in whosesoever custody…
The Smithsonian Institution is authorized to include in its estimates of appropriations such sums as may be needful for the preservation and maintenance of the John Gellatly art collection.
The Regents shall make, from the interest of the fund, an appropriation, not exceeding an average of $25,000 annually, for the gradual formation of a library composed of valuable works pertaining to all departments of human knowledge.
The site and lands selected for buildings for the Smithsonian Institution shall be deemed appropriated to the institution, and the record of the description of such site and lands, or a copy thereof, certified by the chancellor and Secretary of the Board of Regents, shall be received as evidence in all courts of the ex…
All laws for the protection of public property in the city of Washington shall apply to, and be in force for, the protection of the lands, buildings, and other property of the Smithsonian Institution. All moneys recovered by or accruing to, the institution shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States, to the cr…
Appropriations are authorized for the maintenance of the Astrophysical Observatory and the making of solar observations at high altitudes; for repairs and alterations of buildings and grounds occupied by the Smithsonian Institution in the District of Columbia and elsewhere; and for preparation of manuscripts, drawings,…
So much of the property of James Smithson as has been received in money, and paid into the Treasury of the United States, being the sum of $541,379.63, shall be lent to the United States Treasury and invested in public debt securities with maturities requested by the Smithsonian Institution bearing interest at rates de…
The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to receive into the Treasury, on the same terms as the original bequest of James Smithson, such sums as the Regents may, from time to time, see fit to deposit, not exceeding, with the original bequest, the sum of $1,000,000. This shall not operate as a limitation…
The Regents are authorized to make such disposal of any other moneys which have accrued, or shall hereafter accrue, as interest upon the Smithsonian fund, not herein appropriated, or not required for the purposes herein provided, as they shall deem best suited for the promotion of the purpose of the testator.
Whenever money is required for the payment of the debts or performance of the contracts of the institution, incurred or entered into in conformity with the provisions of sections 41 to 46, 48, 50, 51 to 53, 54 to 57, and 67 of this title, or for making the purchases and executing the objects authorized by said sections…
All collections of rocks, minerals, soils, fossils, and objects of natural history, archaeology, and ethnology, made by the National Ocean Survey, the United States Geological Survey, or by any other parties for the Government of the United States, when no longer needed for investigations in progress shall be deposited…
The Secretary of the Army is authorized to furnish to the National Museum, for exhibition, upon request therefor by the administrative head thereof, such articles of arms, materiel, equipment, or clothing as have been issued from time to time to the United States Army, or which have been or may hereafter be produced fo…
The Director of the National Museum under the direction of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution shall— There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Smithsonian Institution for the fiscal year 1981, the sum of $803,000, and for the fiscal year 1982, the sum of $1,000,000.
Congress may alter, amend, add to, or repeal any of the provisions of sections 41 to 46, 48, 50, 51 to 53, and 54 to 57, of this title; but no contract or individual right made or acquired under such provisions shall be thereby divested or impaired.
The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution is hereby authorized to cooperate with any State, educational institution, or scientific organization in the United States to continue independently or in cooperation anthropological researches among the American Indians and the natives of lands under the jurisdiction or pro…
There is authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $20,000, which shall be available until expended for the purposes stated in section 69 of this title: Provided, That at such time as the Smithsonian Institution is satisfied that any State, educational instit…