The World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act lets the commemorative work honoring women who labored on the home front be located on the National Mall within Area I or the Reserve, overriding a prior placement constraint. It ties this location choice to the memorial authorized by Section 702 of Division DD of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, and to map references in use for commemorative spaces.
This is a location clarification that supports planning and recognition without creating new funding or construction mandates.
The bill references existing statutory language and a specific map to define where the memorial may sit, ensuring consistency with Federal property rules and the National Mall’s commemorative program. By establishing two concrete site options, it enables project planners to advance design work while staying within established federal boundaries.
No new appropriations or design requirements accompany this change.
At a Glance
What It Does
Notwithstanding 40 U.S.C. 8908(c), the commemorative work authorized by section 702 of division DD of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 may be located within Area I or the Reserve (as defined by law).
Who It Affects
Federal property managers and planners, including the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit, and organizations planning the World War II Women’s Memorial.
Why It Matters
It provides a clear, legally grounded site framework for planning, reducing ambiguity and enabling timely coordination among agencies while recognizing the contributions of women on the home front.
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What This Bill Actually Does
This bill is a focused, location-only amendment. It permits the World War II Women’s Memorial to be placed within two defined spaces on the National Mall—Area I or the Reserve—overriding an existing restriction in the law that would otherwise limit where such a memorial could be sited.
The memorial in question is the one authorized by a 2023 appropriation act (Division DD, Section 702), and the bill ties the available locations to a specific map (Area I, 869/86501 B, dated June 24, 2003) and to the statutory definition of “Reserve” in 40 U.S.C. 8902(a)(3).
Section 3 defines “Reserve” using the standard federal land-use language, ensuring that the site remains within a recognized category for commemorative works. Importantly, the act does not create new funding, construction, or design requirements; it simply clarifies where the memorial may be located and anchors that choice to existing statutory and map references.
This is a procedural refinement intended to assist planning and recognition, not a substantive expansion of program authority.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill allows the WWII Women’s Memorial to be located on the National Mall within Area I or the Reserve.
It supersedes 40 U.S.C. 8908(c) to permit this location choice.
It ties the memorial to the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Division DD, Section 702 authorization.
It uses Area I map 869/86501 B (dated June 24, 2003) and the Reserve definition from 40 U.S.C. 8902(a)(3) as the basis for location.
It does not authorize funding, construction, or new design requirements; it is a location-only clarification.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Short Title
The Act may be cited as the World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act. This section simply names the statute and does not alter policy or procedures beyond establishing the bill’s official designation.
Location of Commemorative Work
Notwithstanding 40 U.S.C. 8908(c), the commemorative work authorized by section 702 of division DD of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 may be located within Area I (as depicted on the map 869/86501 B, June 24, 2003) or within the Reserve. This section integrates the memorial into existing federal space plans on the National Mall and clarifies that there are two permissible sites under current law.
Definitions
The term ‘Reserve’ has the meaning given to it in 40 U.S.C. 8902(a)(3). This ensures consistent use of the federal land-use category for the commemorative site and aligns the memorial with established statutory language.
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Who Benefits
- National Park Service, particularly the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit, gains a clear, legally grounded site option for planning and management.
- Memorial designers and sponsors can proceed with site development knowing two defined locations are permissible under existing law.
- WWII women veterans’ organizations and historians benefit from formal recognition and a concrete siting option.
- Historians and educators focused on women’s contributions to the war effort gain a tangible case study and educational potential.
Who Bears the Cost
- NPS and related federal agencies may face modest administrative costs to update planning records, maps, and signage to reflect the new permissible sites.
- Design teams and project coordinators may incur planning and coordination costs to align with the approved locations and maps.
- Local planning resources in Washington, DC, and coordinating agencies may devote time to site integration and interagency reviews.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
Balancing explicit siting flexibility for a commemorative memorial with the constraints of existing federal property classifications and long-term mall planning, without new funding or design mandates.
The bill’s strength is in clarifying where a memorial can sit, not in funding or construction. Two tensions emerge: first, the reliance on a map adopted in 2003 and the existing definition of the “Reserve” could become outdated as urban planning in the National Mall evolves.
Second, expanding siting options within Area I and the Reserve interacts with broader land-use priorities and design processes that involve multiple agencies and stakeholders. As a result, implementation will depend on coordinated interagency planning and adherence to established commemorative practices without creating a new funding stream.
CoreTension: Balancing the need to recognize and locate a memorial honoring home-front contributions with the practicalities of federal land-use governance and the National Mall’s planning framework.
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