{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-merkley-seek-information-on-executive-order-targeting-smithsonian", "Murkowski, Merkley Seek Information on Executive Order Targeting Smithsonian", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=1", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chair of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Interior Subcommittee, sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum requesting additional information on the Department of the Interior's (DOI) planned implementation of Executive Order 14416, \"Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution.\" The Executive Order directs the National Park Service (NPS) to install temporary signage and exhibits on NPS-managed property surrounding the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.\n\n\u201cFor the past 180 years, the Smithsonian Institution has been committed to sharing objective historical evidence through research and education, not political narratives,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cThe Smithsonian Institution has worked tirelessly to present a comprehensive narrative of our nation\u2019s amazing history, from its many triumphs to its trials. There is nothing more American than telling our story truthfully.\u201d\n\nAs Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over both the Department of the Interior and the Smithsonian Institution, Murkowski and Merkley requested additional information regarding the scope, cost, funding source, and timeline for the directive, as well as the process used to develop the signage and accompanying materials.\n\nThe full letter is available here or can be read below:\n\nDear Secretary Burgum:\n\nAs Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, we write to express our concern and to request more information regarding the role the Department of the Interior (DOI) will have in implementing Executive Order (EO) 14416, \u201cRestoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution.\u201d\n\nEO 14416 directs you to work through the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) in coordination with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy to install temporary signage along NPS-maintained sidewalks and walkways near the National Museum of American History (Museum) to: 1) inform visitors of the findings of the recent report entitled, \u201cSaving America\u2019s Story: How Ideological Capture at the Smithsonian Institution\u2019s National Museum of American History Erases Our Heritage\u201d (Report); and 2) notify visitors that \u201cthe Museum exhibits should be renovated consistent with the findings in the Report\u201d1 while directing visitors to \u201clocations and resources for accurate information regarding America\u2019s history.\u201d2 The EO also directs you to install temporary exhibits or signage on NPS-maintained sidewalks, walkways, and land that \u201ccorrects inaccurate information presented in the Museum.\u201d3\n\nFor the past 180 years, the Smithsonian Institution has been committed to sharing objective historical evidence through research and education, not political narratives. The Smithsonian Institution has worked tirelessly to present a comprehensive narrative of our nation\u2019s amazing history, from its many triumphs to its trials. There is nothing more American than telling our story truthfully.\n\nThe Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee has jurisdiction over both the DOI and the Smithsonian Institution and it is our role as Chair and Ranking Member to conduct oversight over the use of taxpayer dollars in areas within our jurisdiction. Accordingly, please answer the following questions:\n\nIs there any precedent by which NPS land has been used to communicate conflicting information or messages related to an outside entity\u2019s ongoing activities or operations?\n\nIs there any precedent by which NPS funding has been used to disseminate conflicting information or messages related to an outside entity\u2019s ongoing activities or operations?\n\nWhere will the signage direct visitors to go to for additional \u201caccurate\u201d information? Who is compiling this information?\n\nWill NPS solicit public feedback on this additional information before installing the new signage?\n\nPlease describe plans for the signage (including a map of where each sign will be placed):\n\nHow many signs will there be and where will the signs be placed?\n\nWhat will be the size of each sign? What will each sign be made of? Will these be made in-house at DOI?\n\nWhat will be the content of each sign and who is drafting and finalizing the content?\n\nWhat is the expected cost per sign?\n\nWill signs be affixed to existing poles or structures?\n\nWill new poles or structures be built to support the signs? If so, what is the expected cost?\n\nHow long does the Department anticipate these \u201ctemporary\u201d signs will be in place for?\n\nWhat is the total expected cost of carrying out all activities, including, but not limited to, planning, sign-making, and installation, that you are directed to undertake under EO 14416?\n\nWhere will the funding come from within DOI/NPS to pay for this directive? How many DOI/NPS staff will be working on this directive?\n\nWe appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your prompt response.\n\nSincerely,\n\nUnited States Senator Lisa Murkowski\n\nUnited States Senator Jeff Merkley", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-merkley-seek-information-on-executive-order-targeting-smithsonian"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6555117908865213, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}