[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5510 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5510
To co-designate the Arlington Memorial Bridge as the ``United States-
Mexican War Memorial'', to authorize limited interpretive enhancements,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 19, 2025
Mr. Baumgartner introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To co-designate the Arlington Memorial Bridge as the ``United States-
Mexican War Memorial'', to authorize limited interpretive enhancements,
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 ``United States-Mexican War Memorial
Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States-Mexican War (1846-1848) concluded
with the signing of Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2,
1848, reshaping the territorial contours of the United States
and Mexico and establishing a durable peace through treaty.
(2) The war profoundly influenced American military,
political, and civic life and is a significant chapter in the
Nation's history that merits national-level recognition.
(3) Administered by the National Park Service, Arlington
Memorial Bridge spans the Potomac River to connect the Lincoln
Memorial with Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial,
making it an appropriate site for a co-designation that
reflects national reunion after the Civil War and the United
States east-west expansion to a continental, industrial power.
(4) As the Nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its
independence in 2026, Congress seeks to elevate under-
recognized chapters of American history and advance historical
literacy through prudent, low-cost commemorative actions on
existing Federal sites.
(5) There is no national memorial established by Congress
on Federal land in the National Capital region dedicated to the
United States-Mexican War; a co-designation of an existing
federally owned commemorative setting provides a practical
means to establish a national focus for commemoration without
affecting transportation operations.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to establish a national
commemorative focus on the United States-Mexican War through a co-
designation of an existing federally owned commemorative setting, with
minimal physical alterations and no effect on transportation functions.
SEC. 3. CO-DESIGNATION OF ARLINGTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
(a) Co-Designation.--Arlington Memorial Bridge, spanning the
Potomac River between the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of
Virginia, is hereby co-designated as the ``United States-Mexican War
Memorial'' (in this Act referred to as the ``Memorial'').
(b) Administration.--The Secretary of the Interior (in this Act
referred to as the ``Secretary''), acting through the National Park
Service, shall administer the co-designation established by subsection
(a).
(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed
to--
(1) change the official name of Arlington Memorial Bridge;
(2) alter or impede the bridge's transportation or safety
functions;
(3) modify existing jurisdictional responsibilities
regarding the operation, maintenance, or repair of the bridge;
or
(4) create any right or cause of action.
SEC. 4. CEREMONIES AND PUBLIC OBSERVANCES.
The Secretary may plan, develop, and execute ceremonies and public
observances to recognize the co-designation made by section 3.
SEC. 5. LIMITED COMMEMORATIVE ENHANCEMENTS.
(a) Authority.--To further honor the service and sacrifice of
participants in the United States-Mexican War and to interpret the
war's causes, course, and consequences (including the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo), the Secretary may install at, on, or immediately
adjacent to Arlington Memorial Bridge appropriate commemorative
elements limited to interpretive signage, plaques, and landscaping.
(b) Limitations.--Commemorative elements authorized under
subsection (a)--
(1) shall be consistent with division A of subtitle III of
title 54, United States Code (commonly known as the ``National
Historic Preservation Act'') and the National Environmental
Policy Act;
(2) shall not materially alter the historic character,
architectural features, or structural integrity of Arlington
Memorial Bridge; and
(3) shall not interfere with or encroach upon any existing
commemorative work.
SEC. 6. APPLICABILITY OF THE COMMEMORATIVE WORKS ACT; WAIVERS.
(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), chapter 89
of title 40, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Commemorative
Works Act''), applies to commemorative enhancements authorized by
section 5.
(b) Waivers.--
(1) Site selection.--Section 8905 of title 40, United
States Code, shall not apply with respect to the selection of
the site for the Memorial by reason of the co-designation
effected by section 3.
(2) Certain conditions.--Section 8908(b) of title 40,
United States Code, shall not apply to the designations or
commemorative enhancements authorized by this Act.
SEC. 7. FUNDING; DONATIONS; EXCESS FUNDS.
(a) No Federal Funds for Enhancements.--No Federal funds may be
obligated or expended for the design, procurement, preparation,
installation, or maintenance of commemorative elements authorized under
section 5.
(b) Donations.--The Secretary may accept and expend contributions
of non-Federal funds and in-kind donations for the purposes of this
Act.
(c) Maintenance Amount.--Amounts received for commemorative
elements shall include the maintenance and preservation amount required
by section 8906(b)(1) of title 40, United States Code.
(d) Excess Funds.--If, after payment of all expenses (including the
amount required by section 8906(b)(1) of such title), there remains a
balance of funds received for the purposes of this Act, the Secretary
shall deposit such balance with the National Park Foundation in a
separate account to be available to the Secretary in accordance with
section 8906(b)(4) of such title.
(e) No Effect on Transportation Funding.--Nothing in this Act
prohibits the use of Federal-aid highway, National Park Service, or
other Federal funds for the operation, maintenance, rehabilitation,
repair, safety improvements, or replacement of Arlington Memorial
Bridge or its approaches, except with respect to the commemorative
elements authorized by section 5.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commemorative work.--The term ``commemorative work''
has the meaning given that term in section 8902 of title 40,
United States Code.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
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