Hershel Woody Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Hershel Woody Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act gives the National Medal of Honor monument a special location authorization. Congress previously authorized the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work on federal land in the District of Columbia honoring Medal of Honor recipients. This bill finds that the Medal of Honor, first awarded in 1863 under President Abraham Lincoln, represents the highest U.S. recognition for valor in combat, that living recipients are declining in number, that Hershel Woody Williams was the last World War II Medal of Honor recipient and lay in honor at the U.S. Capitol after his death in 2022, and that the monument warrants a place of supreme national and historical importance. It then overrides title 40 section 8908(c) for this commemorative work so the monument must be located within the National Mall Reserve, close to the Lincoln Memorial. Other Commemorative Works Act requirements continue to apply.
Who Benefits and How
The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, Medal of Honor recipients, families of recipients, veterans organizations, Armed Forces service members, National Mall visitors, civic educators, and supporters of the Hershel Woody Williams legacy benefit because the monument can use a more prominent Reserve location tied symbolically to Lincoln and national military valor rather than being excluded by the usual Reserve restriction.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The National Park Service, National Capital Planning Commission, Commission of Fine Arts, National Mall planners, historic-preservation staff, monument-design reviewers, federal land managers, and National Mall preservation advocates must accommodate a new commemorative work in the Reserve, apply remaining Commemorative Works Act review requirements, manage design and siting constraints, and balance the monument against preservation interests around the Lincoln Memorial.
Key Provisions
- Provides congressional findings on the Medal of Honor, Public Law 117-80, Lincoln's legacy, National Medal of Honor Day, living recipients, and Hershel Woody Williams.
- Authorizes the National Medal of Honor monument to be located within the National Mall Reserve.
- Overrides title 40 section 8908(c)'s usual restriction on Reserve commemorative works for this monument.
- Preserves the rest of the Commemorative Works Act for the monument.
- Directs the location near the Lincoln Memorial as a site of supreme national and historical importance.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Authorizes the National Medal of Honor commemorative work established by Public Law 117-80 to be located within the National Mall Reserve near the Lincoln Memorial despite the usual Commemorative Works Act restriction, while leaving the rest of chapter 89 of title 40 applicable.
Key Policy Areas
Veterans, Public Lands, Commemoration
Primary Purpose
Authorizes the National Medal of Honor commemorative work established by Public Law 117-80 to be located within the National Mall Reserve near the Lincoln Memorial despite the usual Commemorative Works Act restriction, while leaving the rest of chapter 89 of title 40 applicable.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation
- Medal of Honor recipients
- Families of recipients
- Veterans organizations
- Armed Forces service members
- National Mall visitors
- Civic educators
- Supporters of the Hershel Woody Williams legacy
Identified Costs
- National Park Service
- National Capital Planning Commission
- Commission of Fine Arts
- National Mall planners
- Historic-preservation staff
- Monument-design reviewers
- Federal land managers
- National Mall preservation advocates
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
Passed HouseCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. …
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy …
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to …
Passed House (inferred from eh version)
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were …
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate …
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H237-238)
Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the …
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H250)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
National Mall preservation advocates, National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, Veterans organizations
Positive-direction: National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, Veterans organizations
Negative-direction: National Mall preservation advocates
Commission of Fine Arts, National Capital Planning Commission, National Park Service
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "reserve"
- → National Mall Reserve
- "foundation"
- → National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology