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DWC Chair Celebrates House Rejection of the Republican Version of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act

Washington, May 21, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House of Representatives rejected the Republican, partisan version of H.R. 1329, the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act in a bipartisan vote of 216-204. The Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) and House Democrats called for the bill to be returned to the original bipartisan version. Earlier this week, the DWC announced formal opposition to the bill.

DWC Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) released a statement following the failed vote on the bill:
“Today, the House proved that the Women’s History Museum does not belong to Trump. It belongs to the women whose blood, sweat, and tears paint the picture of America.
Women deserve to tell our own story. That is why the Democratic Women’s Caucus and House Democrats worked tirelessly to block the radical, divisive Republican amendments to the Women’s History Museum bill that gave Trump and his ballroom buddies control.
The House’s loud rejection of this partisan bill is a signal that we need to return to the original bipartisan version that honors the diverse contributions women made to this country. This fight is rooted in the shared belief that women’s history and women’s stories are integral to who we are as a nation.”
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