Salazar endorses Latino museum plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is endorsing a federal commission’s call to build a national museum devoted to American Latino art, history and culture next to the Capitol as part of the Smithsonian Institution.

In an interview with The Associated Press ahead of the commission’s report Thursday, Salazar said he would urge Congress to approve creation of the museum. He said such a building on the Capitol’s grounds would be in keeping with the National Park Service’s plan for the National Mall, which calls for overhauling the nearby Capitol reflecting pool as a civic square.

Many contributions of the nation’s Latinos, dating back to before the nation’s founding, have never been recognized, and they deserve a space on the National Mall among the nation’s top cultural attractions, Salazar said.

“My own view is America’s strength in the future is dependent upon America being inclusive of all of its people,â€