\t\tRelated Articles<\/p>\n
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\n\tThe move is the latest attempt by Republicans and the Trump Administration to dictate the direction of the Smithsonian Institution, a museum network of numerous major institutions, primarily in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe provision found its way into the bill after Texas senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz introduced the \u201cBring the Space Shuttle Home Act\u201d in April, aiming to relocate Discovery to the Johnson Space Center in Houston. That proposed bill stalled in committee, but its main provisions were folded into the larger reconciliation bill\u2014officially titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.\u202f1). Trump signed the bill into law on July\u202f4.<\/p>\n
\n\tTo comply with Senate reconciliation rules, the text refers only to a \u201cspace vehicle\u201d (not Discovery by name) to be selected by the NASA administrator. It allocates $85 million toward the move, with $5 million for planning and transportation and the remainder earmarked for construction of a new exhibition facility in Houston.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Smithsonian maintains that it fully owns Discovery, having received \u201call rights, title, interest and ownership\u201d from NASA in 2012, following a decision made in 2011 to send Discovery to the Institution\u2019s Udvar\u2011Hazy Center.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThis is not a transfer, it\u2019s a heist\u2014a heist by Texas because they lost the competition 12 years ago,\u201d Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, said during a hearing earlier this month, before withdrawing an amendment titled \u201cHouston, We Have a Problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Smithsonian been under fire for months from the Trump administration, which has accused its museums of promoting \u201cimproper ideology\u201d in an executive order.<\/a> That executive order singled out shows at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.<\/p>\n \n\tIn May, the administration claimed to fire Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery; the Smithsonian responded by saying that it is independent and that personnel decisions fall under the authority of the Secretary of the Smithsonian, with oversight by the Board of Regents. Sajet initially continued working before stepping down.<\/p>\n