The bill authorizes the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work on the National Mall to honor Medal of Honor recipients. It specifies that the site must be located within the Reserve on Federal land, and it directs that the commemorative work fall under the Commemorative Works Act, with the relative exceptions stated in the bill.
The measures tie the monument to the Lincoln Memorial vicinity and to the broader history of valor and service recognized by the Medal of Honor.
At a Glance
What It Does
The act directs the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work honoring Medal of Honor recipients on Federal land within the National Mall Reserve, locating it near the Lincoln Memorial. It overrides certain statutory limits to permit placement within the Reserve and clarifies that the Commemorative Works Act applies, except as otherwise noted.
Who It Affects
The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, National Park Service and other federal agencies managing the National Mall, Medal of Honor recipients and families, veterans organizations, and visitors who will encounter the monument.
Why It Matters
This act formalizes a dedicated, enduring recognition for Medal of Honor recipients on a prominent national stage, leveraging an authorized pathway for commemorative works and aligning with the broader history of national remembrance near the Lincoln Memorial.
More articles like this one.
A weekly email with all the latest developments on this topic.
What This Bill Actually Does
This bill authorizes the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to create a commemorative monument honoring Medal of Honor recipients on Federal land within the National Mall Reserve. The site must be located in the Reserve and will be subject to the Commemorative Works Act, with the specific exceptions laid out in the bill.
The proposal builds on Public Law 117-80, which already authorizes commemorative projects on Federal land and places the MOH monument within that framework. The findings accompanying the bill emphasize the Medal of Honor’s significance across all branches of the armed forces, the aging of living recipients, and the symbolic value of situating the monument in close proximity to the Lincoln Memorial to reflect a broader national legacy.
Overall, the bill creates a formal, policy-aligned pathway to recognize Medal of Honor recipients on a highly visible national site, while balancing statutory governance and site considerations.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill directs the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work on the National Mall.
The monument must be located within the National Mall Reserve, overriding certain general site restrictions.
The Commemorative Works Act applies to the monument, with explicit exceptions defined in the bill.
Public Law 117-80 provides the enabling authority for this commemorative project.
The monument’s placement near the Lincoln Memorial is intended to reflect a shared national legacy of valor and service.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Every bill we cover gets an analysis of its key sections.
Short Title
This act may be cited as the Hershel 'Woody' Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act.
Findings
Congress recognizes the Medal of Honor as the nation’s highest recognition for valor in combat and notes the historical trajectory of Medal of Honor Day. It also highlights the living status of many recipients, the unique significance of Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams as the last World War II recipient, and the goal of representing this legacy on federal land. The findings document the rationale for situating a monument near the Lincoln Memorial as a respectful extension of Lincoln’s legacy and the national story of extraordinary acts of service.
National Medal of Honor Monument Location
The commemorative work authorized by this act shall be located within the National Mall Reserve, notwithstanding the general restrictions in 40 U.S.C. 8908(c). The Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. chapter 89) shall apply to the monument, except as specifically provided in this section.
This bill is one of many.
Codify tracks hundreds of bills on Government across all five countries.
Explore Government in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation gains a clearly authorized site to place a dedicated monument and can coordinate design and funding.
- Medal of Honor recipients and their families benefit from a formalized memorial presence that honors their service.
- Veterans organizations and allies gain a tangible symbol for education and remembrance within a premier national landscape.
- Visitors and the broader public receive a commemorative landmark that anchors national memory near a major historical site (the Lincoln Memorial).
Who Bears the Cost
- The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation may incur costs in fundraising, design, and maintenance of the monument.
- The National Park Service and other federal entities managing the Reserve may bear ongoing administrative and maintenance responsibilities for the monument.
- Local stakeholders may experience costs related to site coordination and potential schedule constraints during construction and dedication.
- Space allocations within the Reserve could affect other commemorative projects or site planning, requiring management trade-offs.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
Balancing a highly visible tribute honoring Medal of Honor recipients with the operational and conservation needs of the National Mall Reserve, including space allocation, funding responsibilities, and ongoing maintenance under the Commemorative Works Act.
The bill creates a viable pathway to place a Medal of Honor monument on the National Mall, but it also delegates site placement within the Reserve and relies on the broader Commemorative Works Act framework. This creates trade-offs between honoring national heroes with a high-visibility monument and the practical constraints of a busy, heritage-rich landscape with competing uses and long-term maintenance obligations.
The act links to existing federal authority (Public Law 117-80) but leaves open questions around funding, aesthetics, and long-term stewardship that would likely be addressed in implementing regulations and subsequent permits.
Try it yourself.
Ask a question in plain English, or pick a topic below. Results in seconds.