STATEMENT BY CHA CHAIRMAN ROBERT A. BRADY ON THE SMITHSONIAN IN TRANSITION

The Smithsonian Institution is currently undergoing major changes to its internal operations and governance. Two reports recommending significant reforms will be discussed in testimony today. 

Clearly, the Institution is undergoing a transition. The Secretary and Deputy Secretary, the Under Secretary for Science, and other key officials resigned this year. The head of Smithsonian Business Ventures has resigned. The Institution is in the process of selecting a new Secretary and other new management officials to support and advance its goals.

The internal culture of the Smithsonian will also need to change to function in its modern role as a 21st century non-profit entity that receives 70 percent of its funding from the Federal government and controls a vast array of museums and research centers.

There is a strong sense in Congress that the Smithsonian has veered off course in recent years. There was too much public emphasis on raising money and naming buildings and exhibits after donors. There seemed to be less commitment to scientific research. The former Secretary avoided serious review by the Board of Regents and short-circuited existing mechanisms for internal oversight. Top officials had too many unsupervised perks. There were financial irregularities.

The Institution didn't consult adequately with Congress about plans like the controversial Smithsonian on Demand initiative last year.

Nonetheless, I am pleased that the Board of Regents acted quickly to address major problems. It conducted both an internal and an external review of governance issues. I am also pleased that the Independent Review Committee, under Chairman Bowsher, was permitted to operate on its own terms in providing an objective and unvarnished view of defects in the Institution.

The Regents have now adopted the recommendations of its Governance Committee and are moving toward adopting the recommendations of the Independent Review Committee. These recommendations affect the structure of the Smithsonian's administration, the makeup of the Board, internal management, financial stability, personnel issues, business enterprises, and ethics.

The search process to find a new Secretary for the Institution is currently in its early stages. Hopefully that new leader will represent a return to the Smithsonian's traditional values, its scholarship, scientific research, and accessibility to the public. The candidate review process should be thorough and deliberate, but also not extended too long.

This Committee joins the Smithsonian in looking ahead to more positive developments in the future. We will work with the Institution to ensure that the American people's expectations of excellence are maintained and enhanced. We look forward to helping the Institution re-emphasize its strengths.

Today we will start by discussing the recommendations of the two reform committees, and where we go from here.