HR6925-119

What This Bill Does

The Kennedy Center Protection Act is a targeted governance and naming bill. Congress recites the history of the National Cultural Center, its renaming for President John F. Kennedy, and the reported 2025 trustee vote to rename the Center. The bill declares that reported vote void, requires trustees within one day after enactment to remove signage or identification that differs from the statutory John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts name, and returns any federal law, map, regulation, document, paper, publication, signage, or other record changed after the reported vote to the Kennedy Center name. It also amends the Kennedy Center Act to bar the Board from voting, proposing, or authorizing any action to rename the Center, and requires trustees to report to Congress within 30 days on public or private funds used to install, alter, or implement the attempted name change.

Who Benefits and How

Supporters of the Kennedy Center’s existing statutory name benefit because the bill voids the reported renaming and restores references to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Congress benefits by reaffirming that renaming a federally established cultural institution requires statutory action. Kennedy Center patrons, performers, donors, and records users benefit from a stable official name across signage, publications, regulations, and federal records. Oversight committees benefit from a funding report on the attempted name change.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Kennedy Center trustees must remove inconsistent signage within one day, restore records and references, stop any renaming action, and submit a 30-day report to Congress. Kennedy Center administrators must identify altered signage, publications, maps, documents, and records. Any donors or private actors who funded the attempted renaming may be disclosed in the report. Federal staff maintaining maps, publications, regulations, or records may need to correct references.

Key Provisions

• Voids the reported trustee vote renaming the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
• Requires removal of inconsistent signage or identification within one day after enactment.
• Restores federal references, records, maps, publications, and signage to the statutory Kennedy Center name.
• Prohibits the Board from voting, proposing, or authorizing any action to rename the Center.
• Requires a 30-day report to Congress on public or private funds used for the attempted name change.