JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Members of New York's congressional delegation are pushing for official recognition for the recently opened National Comedy Center.
Democratic U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand say the Senate has passed legislation designating the western New York center as the official National Comedy Center of the United States.
The bill was part of the 2019 Lands Package passed Feb. 12.
The House passed a similar measure last year but it never came up for a vote in the Senate. Republican Rep. Tom Reed has reintroduced it.
Opened in August, the National Comedy Center includes displays of comedic artifacts and immersive exhibits. The nonprofit center in Jamestown was inspired by the town's biggest hero, Lucille Ball, who envisioned a place where comedy would be celebrated as an art form.
