20 U.S.C. § 75b: Establishment of National Portrait Gallery; functions

There is established in the Smithsonian Institution a bureau which shall be known as the National Portrait Gallery. The functions of such bureau shall be those authorized by this subchapter. The use for the purposes of the Gallery of any part of the building transferred to the Smithsonian Institution pursuant to the Act of March 28, 1958 ( 72 Stat. 68 ), is authorized. The Gallery shall function as a free public museum for the exhibition and study of portraiture and statuary depicting men and women who have made significant contributions to the history, development, and culture of the people of the United States and of the artists who created such portraiture and statuary. The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution may plan, design, and construct improvements to the interior and exterior of the Patent Office Building (including the construction of a roof covering for the courtyard), using funds available to the Institution from nonappropriated sources. In this section, the term ‘Patent Office Building’ means the building transferred to the Smithsonian Institution pursuant to Public Law 85–357 [ 72 Stat. 68 ]. submitted by the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (referred to in this section as the ‘Secretary’) to the Commission of Fine Arts for comments and recommendations; and subject to the review and approval of the National Capital Planning Commission in accordance with section 8722 of title 40 , United States Code, and section 16 of the Act of June 20, 1938 (sec. 6–641.15, D.C. Official Code). take into account the effect of the improvements authorized by subsection (a) on the historic character of the Patent Office Building; and provide the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation a reasonable opportunity to comment with regard to such improvements. In carrying out this subsection, and in carrying out other projects in the District of Columbia which are subject to the review and approval of the National Capital Planning Commission in accordance with section 16 of the Act of June 20, 1938 (sec. 6–641.15, D.C. Official Code), the Smithsonian Institution shall be deemed to be an agency for purposes of compliance with regulations promulgated by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act ([former] 16 U.S.C. 470f ) [see 54 U.S.C. 306108 ].”