119-HR-2306 Journalist Public Summary

Public Summary: 119-HR-2306 — Adams Memorial–Great American Heroes Act

Headline Summary: Extends the Adams Memorial Commission’s authority to 2032 and gives it more flexibility to choose a site in Washington, D.C., so a national Adams Memorial can finally be built.

What It Does:

• Extends the Commission’s authorization from 2025 to 2032, keeping the project alive for seven more years.
• Allows the memorial to be placed within a specific mapped area of D.C. identified by the Commission. If that area proves unsuitable due to physical or security constraints, the bill permits siting the memorial within the federally defined “Reserve,” despite the usual restriction in 40 U.S.C. 8908(c).
• Updates and streamlines prior authorizations by repealing older location provisions to match the new siting framework.

Why It Matters:

• Gives a long-running commemorative project the time and legal flexibility it needs to select a viable site and proceed to construction.
• Could influence where future memorials may be placed by allowing, in limited circumstances, a location inside the highly protected central area of the National Mall (“the Reserve”).
• For visitors and educators, it aims to add a permanent public memorial recognizing the Adams family’s role in early American history.

Who’s For It:

• Bipartisan House sponsors and supporters, including Reps. John Moolenaar (R-MI), Gerald Connolly (D-VA), Richard McCormick (R-GA), H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), and Seth Moulton (D-MA). Additional sponsors added on October 31, 2025, include Reps. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Bill Keating (D-MA), and Mark Amodei (R-NV).
• House Natural Resources Committee advanced the bill by unanimous consent on September 17, 2025, signaling cross-party support in committee.

Who’s Against It:

• No formal opposition was recorded in the committee actions listed.
• Possible concerns some may raise: allowing a memorial within the “Reserve” even as a fallback could set a precedent for future exceptions; questions about long timelines for commemorative works; and potential cost, logistics, or security impacts associated with high-profile sites.

What’s Next:

• As of October 31, 2025, the bill was reported (amended) by the House Committee on Natural Resources and placed on the Union Calendar (No. 305), positioning it for a House floor vote.
• If it passes the House, it would move to the Senate for consideration.