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119-S-1088 Journalist Public Summary

119 · S 1088 World War II Women's Memorial Location Act

park Public Lands and Natural Resources
World War II Women's Memorial Location ActThis bill allows the commemorative work for women who worked on the home front during World War II to be located in either (1) the Reserve, an area that...

A bipartisan Senate bill would allow a new memorial honoring women who worked on the WWII home front to be placed on or near the National Mall by permitting a site in Area I or the otherwise off‑limits “Reserve”; it received a Senate subcommittee hearing on December 9, 2025, and a House companion has been reported from committee. [1]Congress.gov — Text - S.1088 (119th): World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act[2]Congressional Research Service (via Congress.gov) — CRS In Focus: Commemorative…[3]Congress.gov — Senate ENR Subcommittee on National Parks hearing (Dec. 9, 2025)…[4]Congress.gov — House Report 119‑284 on H.R. 2290: World War II Women’s Memorial…

Analyzed as
Journalist
Published
10 Dec 2025
Updated
10 Dec 2025
Tags
public-summary · US-Congress · memorials
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01 · Section

Headline Summary

Let a WWII women’s home‑front memorial be built on the National Mall (Area I or the Mall’s central “Reserve”) by carving out an exception to current siting limits. [1]Congress.gov — Text - S.1088 (119th): World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act[2]Congressional Research Service (via Congress.gov) — CRS In Focus: Commemorative…

02 · Section

What It Does

S. 1088 authorizes the already‑approved World War II Women’s Memorial to be located either in “Area I” or inside the Mall’s “Reserve,” doing so “notwithstanding” 40 U.S.C. §8908—the law that otherwise bars new memorials in the Reserve. The bill’s findings highlight the service of more than 18 million women who supported the war effort on the home front. [1]Congress.gov — Text - S.1088 (119th): World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act[5]U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo) — 40 U.S.C. Chapter 89 (Commemorati…

03 · Section

Who’s For It

  • Lead sponsors Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D‑NH), Marsha Blackburn (R‑TN), and Tammy Duckworth (D‑IL) frame it as bipartisan recognition of women’s WWII contributions and argue the memorial belongs on the Mall. [6]Office of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen — Shaheen press release: Bipartisan bill to place…[7]Office of Sen. Marsha Blackburn — Blackburn press release: Bipartisan bill to p…[8]Office of Sen. Tammy Duckworth — Duckworth press release: Bipartisan bill to pl…
  • World War II Women’s Memorial Foundation (the authorized sponsor) backs Mall placement to secure a prominent, permanent site. [9]WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation — WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation: New bipart…
  • House backers introduced companion legislation (H.R. 2290), presenting a bicameral push; the House Natural Resources Committee reported it on September 15, 2025. [6]Office of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen — Shaheen press release: Bipartisan bill to place…[7]Office of Sen. Marsha Blackburn — Blackburn press release: Bipartisan bill to p…[4]Congress.gov — House Report 119‑284 on H.R. 2290: World War II Women’s Memorial…
04 · Section

Who’s Against It

  • Preservation and planning advocates who favor keeping the 2003 “Reserve” moratorium intact (to protect open space and vistas) have historically opposed putting new memorials in the Reserve; they could raise similar concerns here. [2]Congressional Research Service (via Congress.gov) — CRS In Focus: Commemorative…[10]The Washington Post — Preservation law established the National Mall “Reserve”…
  • Federal planning guidance cited by Congress and CRS underscores the policy of steering new memorials away from the Reserve to other parts of the city—another likely argument against this exception. [11]Congressional Research Service (via Congress.gov) — CRS Report: Commemorative W…
05 · Section

What’s Next

Senate: The Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing on December 9, 2025; the bill now awaits any markup and further committee action before a possible floor vote. [3]Congress.gov — Senate ENR Subcommittee on National Parks hearing (Dec. 9, 2025)…

House: The companion bill (H.R. 2290) was reported from committee on September 15, 2025, and awaits floor consideration. [4]Congress.gov — House Report 119‑284 on H.R. 2290: World War II Women’s Memorial…

Current status snapshot: S. 1088 remains at the “introduced” stage pending further Senate action. [12]Congress.gov — S.1088 overview and status

Sources cited
  1. [1] Text - S.1088 (119th): World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act Congress.gov
  2. [2] CRS In Focus: Commemorative Works Act—Siting Memorials in D.C. Congressional Research Service (via Congress.gov)
  3. [3] Senate ENR Subcommittee on National Parks hearing (Dec. 9, 2025) — includes S.1088 Congress.gov
  4. [4] House Report 119‑284 on H.R. 2290: World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act Congress.gov
  5. [5] 40 U.S.C. Chapter 89 (Commemorative Works), including §8902 definitions and §8908 Reserve ban U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo)
  6. [6] Shaheen press release: Bipartisan bill to place WWII women’s memorial on National Mall Office of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
  7. [7] Blackburn press release: Bipartisan bill to place WWII women’s memorial on National Mall Office of Sen. Marsha Blackburn
  8. [8] Duckworth press release: Bipartisan bill to place WWII women’s memorial on National Mall Office of Sen. Tammy Duckworth
  9. [9] WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation: New bipartisan bill to authorize National Mall location WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation
  10. [10] Preservation law established the National Mall “Reserve” (background and reactions) The Washington Post
  11. [11] CRS Report: Commemorative Works in D.C.—Background and practice (Reserve policy) Congressional Research Service (via Congress.gov)
  12. [12] S.1088 overview and status Congress.gov

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