[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2843 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2843
To establish a process for the Board on Geographic Names to review and
revise offensive place names, to create an advisory committee to
recommend offensive place names to be reviewed by the Board, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2025
Mr. Green of Texas (for himself, Ms. Ansari, Mr. Carson, Mr. Evans of
Pennsylvania, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms.
Kelly of Illinois, Mrs. McIver, Ms. Norton, Mr. Quigley, Ms. Stansbury,
Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Tlaib, Mrs. Watson Coleman, and Ms.
Williams of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a process for the Board on Geographic Names to review and
revise offensive place names, to create an advisory committee to
recommend offensive place names to be reviewed by the Board, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Reconciliation in Place Names Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the United States contains geographic features named--
(A) with derogatory terms that include racial and
sexual slurs and stereotypes targeting Native
Americans, African Americans, and others;
(B) in honor of individuals who--
(i) held racially repugnant views;
(ii) committed atrocities against Native
Americans; or
(iii) supported or effectuated
discriminatory policies; and
(C) to recognize individuals who carried out
injustices against racial minorities;
(2) place names that include racial or sexual slurs, or
honor individuals who held racially repugnant views, committed
atrocities against Native Americans, or carried out injustices
against racial minorities--
(A) perpetuate prejudice;
(B) disparage racial minorities; and
(C) honor individuals who committed or supported
atrocities;
(3) no geographic feature in the United States should have
a name that--
(A) perpetuates prejudice;
(B) disparages racial minorities; or
(C) honors individuals who committed or supported
atrocities against racial minorities;
(4) place names in the United States should--
(A) be equitable and just;
(B) honor the cultural diversity of the United
States; and
(C) advance dignity for all people in the United
States;
(5) the Board on Geographic Names, jointly with the
Secretary, is responsible for naming geographic features in the
United States;
(6) the policies of the Board on Geographic Names--
(A) authorize changing the names of geographic
features determined to be offensive; and
(B) prohibit the Federal use of terms determined to
be derogatory or offensive in geographic place names;
(7) the renaming process of the Board on Geographic Names--
(A) is time consuming;
(B) lacks transparency and public involvement; and
(C) fails to address the scope and breadth of
inappropriate place names;
(8) the extent of inappropriate or offensive place names in
the United States requires a systematic, public process in
which offensive and inappropriate place names are reviewed and
replaced; and
(9) the process described in paragraph (8) offers an
opportunity for reconciliation for--
(A) people of the United States who suffer from
prejudice and racial violence; and
(B) all people of the United States in whose name
the acts were committed.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Board on
Geographic Names established by section 2 of the Act of July
25, 1947 (43 U.S.C. 364a).
(2) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the Advisory
Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names established by
section 4(a).
(3) Federal land unit.--The term ``Federal land unit''
includes--
(A) National Forest System land;
(B) a unit of the National Park System;
(C) a component of the National Wilderness
Preservation System;
(D) any part of the National Landscape Conservation
System; and
(E) a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
(4) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(5) Offensive place name.--The term ``offensive place
name'' means a domestic geographic place name or Federal land
unit name that--
(A) recognizes an individual who--
(i)(I) held racially repugnant views;
(II) committed atrocities against Native
Americans; or
(III) supported or effectuated
discriminatory policies; or
(ii) carried out other injustices against
racial minorities;
(B) contains a racial or sexual slur;
(C) perpetuates racial, ethnic, or gender-based
stereotypes; or
(D) is derogatory or otherwise offensive.
(6) Tribal organization.--The term ``Tribal organization''
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish an advisory
committee, to be known as the ``Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in
Place Names''.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Board,
the Secretary, and Congress with respect to renaming geographic
features and Federal land units with offensive place names.
(c) Membership.--The Committee shall be composed of 17 members, to
be appointed by the Secretary, of whom, to the extent practicable--
(1) 4 members shall be members of an Indian Tribe;
(2) 1 member shall represent a Tribal organization;
(3) 1 member shall represent a Native Hawaiian
organization;
(4) 4 members shall have a background in civil rights or
race relations;
(5) 4 members shall have expertise in--
(A) anthropology;
(B) cultural studies, ethnic studies, or indigenous
studies;
(C) geography; or
(D) history; and
(6) 3 members shall represent the general public.
(d) Consultation With Indian Tribes.--Before making an appointment
under paragraph (1), (2), or (4) of subsection (c), the Secretary shall
consult with Indian Tribes regarding the appointment.
(e) Duties.--The Committee shall--
(1) establish a process to solicit and review proposals to
rename geographic features and Federal land units with
offensive place names;
(2) solicit proposals to rename geographic features and
Federal land units with offensive place names and derogatory
terms from--
(A) Indian Tribes;
(B) appropriate State and local governments;
(C) the affected land management agency; and
(D) members of the public;
(3) provide an opportunity for public comment on name
change proposals;
(4) make proposals to the Board and the Secretary to rename
geographic features with offensive place names, including
proposed new names;
(5) make proposals to Congress to rename Federal land units
with offensive place names, including proposed new names; and
(6) make recommendations to the Board on improvements to
the process of reviewing and revising offensive place names.
(f) Compensation.--
(1) In general.--Members of the Committee shall serve
without compensation.
(2) Travel expenses.--Members of the Committee shall be
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States
Code, while away from the home or regular place of business of
the member in the performance of the duties of the Committee.
(g) Staff.--The Secretary shall provide the Committee with any
staff members and technical assistance that the Secretary, after
consultation with the Committee, determines to be appropriate to enable
the Committee to carry out the duties of the Committee.
(h) Rules.--The Committee may adopt such rules as may be necessary.
(i) Applicable Law.--The Committee shall be subject to chapter 10
of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Federal
Advisory Committee Act''),
(j) Duration.--
(1) Timeline.--To the extent practicable, not later than 5
years after the date on which the Committee is established, the
Committee shall fulfill the duties of the Committee, including
the completion of the proposals required under paragraphs (4)
and (5) of subsection (e).
(2) Termination.--The Committee shall terminate on the date
that is 1 year after the date on which the Board has approved
or rejected each Committee proposal submitted to the Board
under subsection (e)(4).
SEC. 5. BOARD REVIEW.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which the
Board receives a proposal under section 4(e)(4), the Board shall accept
or reject the proposal.
(b) Process.--The Board shall approve a proposal of the Committee
submitted under section 4(e)(4) unless the Board determines that--
(1) there is a compelling reason and substantial public
interest in rejecting the proposal; or
(2) approving the proposal would violate Federal law.
(c) Renaming.--If the Board accepts a proposal by the Committee to
rename a geographic feature, the Board shall rename the geographic
feature.
(d) Effect.--A Board policy that prevents the Board from
considering a name change due to pending legislation shall not apply to
Board action on Committee proposals.
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