§8903. Congressional authorization of commemorative works

(a) In General.-Commemorative works-

(1) may be established on federal lands referred to in section 8901(4) of this title only as specifically authorized by law; and

(2) are subject to applicable provisions of this chapter.

(b) Military Commemorative Works.-A military commemorative work may be authorized only to commemorate a war or similar major military conflict or a branch of the armed forces. A commemorative work solely commemorating a limited military engagement or a unit of an armed force may not be authorized. Commemorative works to a war or similar major military conflict may not be authorized until at least 10 years after the officially designated end of such war or conflict.

(c) Works Commemorating Events, Individuals, or Groups.-A commemorative work commemorating an event, individual, or group of individuals, except a military commemorative work as described in subsection (b), may not be authorized until after the 25th anniversary of the event, death of the individual, or death of the last surviving member of the group.

(d) Consultation with National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission.-In considering legislation authorizing commemorative works in the District of Columbia and its environs, the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate shall solicit the views of the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission.

(e) Expiration of Legislative Authority.-Any legislative authority for a commemorative work shall expire at the end of the seven-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of such authority, or at the end of the seven-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of legislative authority to locate the commemorative work within Area I, if such additional authority has been granted, unless-

(1) the Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services (as appropriate) has issued a construction permit for the commemorative work during that period; or

(2) the Secretary or the Administrator (as appropriate), in consultation with the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, has made a determination that-

(A) final design approvals have been obtained from the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts; and

(B) 75 percent of the amount estimated to be required to complete the commemorative work has been raised.

If these two conditions have been met, the Secretary or the Administrator (as appropriate) may extend the seven-year legislative authority for a period not to exceed three additional years. Upon expiration of the legislative authority, any previous site and design approvals shall also expire.

( Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1228 ; Pub. L. 108–126, title II, §203(c), Nov. 17, 2003, 117 Stat. 1350 ; Pub. L. 111–11, title VII, §7116(e)(1), Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1203 .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
8903(a)	40:1003(a).	Pub. L. 99–652, §3, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3651 ; Pub. L. 100–202, §101(f) [title II, §3], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–196 ; Pub. L. 100–230, §3, Jan. 5, 1988, 101 Stat. 1564 ; Pub. L. 103–321, §2(b), Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1793 ; Pub. L 104–186, title II, §221(18), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1750.
8903(b)	40:1003(b).
8903(c)	40:1003(c).
8903(d)	40:1003(d).
8903(e)	40:1010(b).	Pub. L. 99–652, §10(b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3654 ; Pub. L. 102–216, §1, Dec. 11, 1991, 105 Stat. 1666 .

In subsection (a)(1), the words "in the District of Columbia and its environs" are omitted as unnecessary.

In subsection (d), the words "House Administration" are substituted for "House Oversight" because the name of the Committee was changed in the 106th Congress. See Rule X(1)(i) of the Rules of the House of Representatives.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2009-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–11, which directed insertion of "Natural" before "Resources", was executed by making the insertion before "Resources of the House", to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

2003-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–126, §203(c)(1), substituted "work solely commemorating a limited military engagement" for "work commemorating a lesser conflict" and "such war or conflict" for "the event".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–126, §203(c)(2), substituted "Memorial Advisory Commission" for "Memorial Commission" in heading, and in text substituted "Resources" for "House Administration" and inserted "Advisory" before "Commission".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 108–126, §203(c)(3), added subsec. (e) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (e). Text read as follows: "Legislative authority for a commemorative work expires at the end of the seven–year period beginning on the date the authority is enacted unless the Secretary of the Interior or Administrator of General Services, as appropriate, has issued a construction permit for the commemorative work during that period."

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2003 Amendment

Amendments by Pub. L. 108–126 not applicable to a commemorative work for which a site was approved in accordance with this chapter prior to Nov. 17, 2003, see section 205 of Pub. L. 108–126, set out as a note under section 8901 of this title.

Commemorative Works

Adams Memorial.- Pub. L. 107–62, Nov. 5, 2001, 115 Stat. 411 ; Pub. L. 107–315, Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2763 ; Pub. L. 108–7, div. F, title I, §142, Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 244 ; Pub. L. 111–169, §1, May 24, 2010, 124 Stat. 1192 ; Pub. L. 113–291, div. B, title XXX, §3094, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3880 ; Pub. L. 116–9, title II, §2406, Mar. 12, 2019, 133 Stat. 748 .
African-Americans Civil War Union Memorial.- Pub. L. 102–412, Oct. 14, 1992, 106 Stat. 2104 .
Air Force Memorial.- Pub. L. 103–163, Dec. 2, 1993, 107 Stat. 1973 ; Pub. L. 106–302, Oct. 13, 2000, 114 Stat. 1062 ; Pub. L. 107–107, div. B, title XXVIII, §2863(a)–(e), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1330–1332 ; Pub. L. 118–31, div. B, title XXVIII, §2884, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 782 .
American Armored Force Memorial.- Pub. L. 99–620, Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3493 .
Armed Forces Members Killed in Attack on Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 26, 2021, Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title X, §1087, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1924 ; Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title X, §1084, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2800 .
Benjamin Banneker Memorial.- Pub. L. 105–355, title V, §512, Nov. 6, 1998, 112 Stat. 3266 .
Black Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial.- Pub. L. 99–500, §101(h) [title I, §118], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–242 , 1783-266, and Pub. L. 99–591, §101(h) [title I, §118], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–242 , 3341-266; Pub. L. 99–558, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3144 , repealed by Pub. L. 112–239, div. B, title XXVIII, §2860(f), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2165 ; Pub. L. 99–590, title VIII, §§801, 802, Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3339 ; Pub. L. 100–265, Mar. 25, 1988, 102 Stat. 39 , repealed by Pub. L. 112–239, div. B, title XXVIII, §2860(f), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2165 ; Pub. L. 103–321, §1(a)(1), Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1793 ; Pub. L. 104–333, div. I, title V, §506, Nov. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4155 ; Pub. L. 105–345, §1, Nov. 2, 1998, 112 Stat. 3205 ; Pub. L. 106–442, Nov. 6, 2000, 114 Stat. 1926 ; Pub. L. 112–239, div. B, title XXVIII, §2860, Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2164 ; Pub. L. 113–176, Sept. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 1910 ; Pub. L. 117–328, div. DD, title VII, §703, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5618 .
Brigadier General Francis Marion Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 110–229, title III, §331, May 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 781 ; Pub. L. 114–92, div. B, title XXVIII, §2852, Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 1184 .
Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial.- Pub. L. 106–348, Oct. 24, 2000, 114 Stat. 1358 ; Pub. L. 109–396, title II, §201, Dec. 15, 2006, 120 Stat. 2713 ; Pub. L. 110–106, §1, Oct. 25, 2007, 121 Stat. 1022 .
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial.- Pub. L. 106–79, title VIII, §8162, Oct. 25, 1999, 113 Stat. 1274 ; Pub. L. 107–117, div. A, title VIII, §8120(a), (b), Jan. 10, 2002, 115 Stat. 2273 , 2274; Pub. L. 109–220, May 5, 2006, 120 Stat. 335 ; Pub. L. 110–229, title III, §332, May 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 782 ; Pub. L. 112–74, div. E, title III, Dec. 23, 2011, 125 Stat. 1036 ; Pub. L. 113–6, div. F, title IV, §1413, Mar. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 421 ; Pub. L. 113–76, div. G, title IV, §437(a), Jan. 17, 2014, 128 Stat. 347 ; Pub. L. 113–235, div. F, title IV, §423(a), Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2449 ; Pub. L. 114–113, div. G, title IV, §419(a), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2579 ; Pub. L. 115–31, div. G, title IV, §419, May 5, 2017, 131 Stat. 498 .
Enslaved Individuals Who Endured the Middle Passage Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 117–328, div. DD, title VII, §707, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5620 .
Every Word We Utter Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 116–217, Dec. 17, 2020, 134 Stat. 1052 .
Fallen Journalists Memorial.- Pub. L. 116–253, Dec. 23, 2020, 134 Stat. 1135 ; Pub. L. 117–328, div. DD, title VII, §708, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5620 .
First Division Monument.- Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title X, §1083, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3875 .
Francis Scott Key Memorial.- Pub. L. 99–531, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3022 .
Frederick Douglass Memorial and Gardens.- Pub. L. 106–479, Nov. 9, 2000, 114 Stat. 2184 .
George Mason Memorial.- Pub. L. 101–358, Aug. 10, 1990, 104 Stat. 419 ; Pub. L. 102–277, Apr. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 127 ; Pub. L. 105–182, §1, June 19, 1998, 112 Stat. 516 .
Gold Star Mothers Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 112–239, div. B, title XXVIII, §2859, Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2164 .
Heroic Deeds and Sacrifices of Service Animals and Handlers of Service Animals Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 117–328, div. DD, title VII, §704, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5618 .
Japanese American Patriotism in World War II Memorial.- Pub. L. 102–502, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3273 ; Pub. L. 104–333, div. I, title V, §514, Nov. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4165 .
Jean Monnet Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 117–328, div. DD, title VII, §705, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5619 .
Korean War Veterans Memorial.- Pub. L. 99–572, Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3226 ; Pub. L. 100–202, §101(f) [title II, §§1, 2], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–195 , 1329-196; Pub. L. 100–230, §§1, 2, Jan. 5, 1988, 101 Stat. 1563 ; Pub. L. 100–267, Mar. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 41 ; Pub. L. 105–262, title VIII, §8122, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2332 .
Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance.- Pub. L. 114–230, Oct. 7, 2016, 130 Stat. 947 .
Lincoln Memorial, "I Have a Dream Speech" Commemorative Plaque.- Pub. L. 106–365, Oct. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 1409 ; Pub. L. 108–352, §4, Oct. 21, 2004, 118 Stat. 1395 .
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial.- Pub. L. 105–284, §1, Oct. 26, 1998, 112 Stat. 2701 .
Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial.- Pub. L. 104–333, div. I, title V, §508, Nov. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4157 ; Pub. L. 105–201, §1, July 16, 1998, 112 Stat. 675 ; Pub. L. 106–176, title I, §108, Mar. 10, 2000, 114 Stat. 26 ; Pub. L. 108–125, §1, Nov. 11, 2003, 117 Stat. 1347 ; Pub. L. 109–54, title I, §134(c), Aug. 2, 2005, 119 Stat. 527 ; Pub. L. 110–453, title III, §301, Dec. 2, 2008, 122 Stat. 5034 ; Pub. L. 111–88, div. A, title I, §129, Oct. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 2933 .
Medal of Honor Recipients Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 117–80, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1539 .
National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial.- Pub. L. 113–291, div. B, title XXX, §3093, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3879 ; Pub. L. 115–18, Mar. 31, 2017, 131 Stat. 82 .
National Emergency Medical Services Memorial.- Pub. L. 115–275, §1, Nov. 3, 2018, 132 Stat. 4164 .
National Global War on Terrorism Memorial.- Pub. L. 115–51, Aug. 18, 2017, 131 Stat. 1003 ; Pub. L. 117–81, div. F, title LXVI, §6605, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2442 .
National Peace Garden.- Pub. L. 100–63, June 30, 1987, 101 Stat. 379 ; Pub. L. 103–321, §1(a)(3), (b), Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1793 ; Pub. L. 105–202, July 16, 1998, 112 Stat. 676 .
Peace Corps Memorial.- Pub. L. 113–78, §1, Jan. 24, 2014, 128 Stat. 647 ; Pub. L. 116–318, Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5069 .
Republic of Texas Legation Memorial.- Pub. L. 116–248, Dec. 22, 2020, 134 Stat. 1124 .
Second Division Memorial.-Act Mar. 3, 1931, ch. 451, 46 Stat. 1515 ; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title III, §352, Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1367 ; Pub. L. 115–141, div. G, title I, §121(a)(1) [div. B, title VII, §7130], Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 661 , 1225A-3.
Thomas Paine Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 117–328, div. DD, title VII, §709, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5621 .
Thomas Paine Memorial.- Pub. L. 102–407, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 1991 ; Pub. L. 102–459, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2268 ; Pub. L. 103–422, Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4356 ; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(3) [title I, §142], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535 , 1501A-171.
Tomas G. Masaryk Memorial.- Pub. L. 107–61, Nov. 5, 2001, 115 Stat. 410 .
Ukrainian Famine-Genocide Victims Memorial.- Pub. L. 109–340, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1864 .
Victims of Communism Memorial.- Pub. L. 103–199, title IX, §905, Dec. 17, 1993, 107 Stat. 2331 ; Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, §101(e) [title III, §326], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–231 , 2681-291.
Vietnam Women's Memorial.- Pub. L. 100–660, Nov. 15, 1988, 102 Stat. 3922 ; Pub. L. 101–187, Nov. 28, 1989, 103 Stat. 1350 .
Women in Military Service for America Memorial.- Pub. L. 99–500, §101(h) [title I, §117], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–242 , 1783-266, and Pub. L. 99–591, §101(h) [title I, §117], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–242 , 3341-266; Pub. L. 99–590, title IX, §§901, 902, Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3339 ; Pub. L. 99–610, Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3477 ; Pub. L. 103–321, §1(a)(2), Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1793 ; Pub. L. 103–337, div. B, title XXVIII, §2855, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 3073 ; Pub. L. 116–92, div. B, title XXVIII, §2834(e)(3)(B), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1894 .
Women Who Worked on the Home Front Commemorative Work.- Pub. L. 117–328, div. DD, title VII, §702, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5617 .
World War II Memorial.- Pub. L. 103–32, May 25, 1993, 107 Stat. 90 ; Pub. L. 103–422, Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4356 ; Pub. L. 106–58, title VI, §652, Sept. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 480 ; Pub. L. 106–117, title VI, §601(b), Nov. 30, 1999, 113 Stat. 1578 ; Pub. L. 107–11, May 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 19 .
World War II Memorial Prayer Plaque.- Pub. L. 113–123, June 30, 2014, 128 Stat. 1377 .