PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 6627: Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 6627: Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2008-07-29 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Received in the Senate.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-07-29 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Oberstar, James L. [D-MN-8] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to: (1) design and construct laboratory and support space to accommodate the Mathias Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland; and (2) construct laboratory space to accommodate the terrestrial research program of the Smithsonian tropical research institute in Gamboa, Panama. Authorizes appropriations for: (1) FY2009-FY2011 for the design and construction of the laboratory and support space to accommodate the Mathias Laboratory; and (2) FY2009-FY2010 for the construction of the laboratory space to accommodate the terrestrial research program.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Oberstar, James L. [D-MN-8] · 8 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 6627, Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008 (2008-08-25); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 6627, Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008 (2008-08-25); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 6627, Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008 (2008-08-25); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 6627, Smithsonian Institution Facilities Authorization Act of 2008 (2008-08-25)

Cosponsors on this site

Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA)

Agencies named in this bill

Found automatically: the agency's full official name appears in the bill title. A bill can affect agencies it does not name, so this list may be incomplete.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr6627 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110