H.R. 5009: Fine Arts Protection Act of 2025 (119th Congress) Bill Summary

This bill, titled the Fine Arts Protection Act of 2025, aims to evaluate and enhance the Fine Arts Program of the General Services Administration (GSA). Here’s what the bill proposes in detail:

Overview of Findings

The bill establishes the importance of art in preserving and understanding history, highlights the Fine Arts Collection managed by the GSA as one of the largest and oldest public art collections in the U.S., and notes that the collection includes significant historical works, particularly those commissioned during the New Deal era.

Review of the Fine Arts Program

The bill mandates that the Comptroller General of the United States conduct a comprehensive review of the Fine Arts Program within one year of the bill's enactment. The review will include:

Surveying each piece of art in the Fine Arts Collection.
Estimating the economic value of the Fine Arts Collection, including works from the New Deal.
Examining how the GSA has managed the Fine Arts Program.
Assessing whether the current staffing and budget for the Fine Arts Program are adequate.
Comparing the GSA’s management of the Fine Arts Collection to that of other similar organizations.
Considering the future of the Fine Arts Collection, especially in light of potential reductions in GSA staffing and budget.

Report to Congress

Within two years of the bill's enactment, the Comptroller General is required to submit a report to both the House and Senate committees that describes the findings from the review. This report must include:

The results of the review.
Recommendations for improvements in managing the Fine Arts Collection, including whether the current structure of the GSA should remain as the managing body for the collection.

Implications

The bill seeks to ensure that the Fine Arts Collection is adequately maintained and preserved, potentially leading to improvements in how the collection is managed and its relevance to public history and culture.