# Plain Language Summary: National Commission on Renaming the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Headquarters Building Act of 2023

This bill creates a special commission tasked with studying whether the FBI headquarters building in Washington, D.C. should be renamed and, if so, what it should be called instead. Currently, the building is named after J. Edgar Hoover, who served as the FBI's director for nearly 50 years until his death in 1972. The commission would examine Hoover's legacy and make a recommendation to Congress about whether keeping his name on the building is appropriate.

The commission would likely include members from Congress, the FBI, and possibly historians or other experts who could evaluate Hoover's record as FBI director. They would need to consider both his accomplishments in building the FBI into a major law enforcement agency and the controversial aspects of his tenure, including his involvement in surveillance programs that targeted civil rights activists and other groups. The commission would then report their findings and recommendations back to Congress, which would ultimately decide whether to rename the building.

This is essentially a study bill that doesn't immediately change anything about the building's name. Instead, it sets up a formal process for examining the question and making a thoughtful recommendation. The actual decision to rename the building would require further action by Congress. For most Americans, this won't have a direct impact on their daily lives, but it reflects ongoing national conversations about how we honor historical figures and what values we want our government buildings to represent.

National Commission on Renaming the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Headquarters Building Act of 2023

Connolly, Gerald E.

National Commission on Renaming the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Headquarters Building Act of 2023 This bill establishes the National Commission on Renaming the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Headquarters Building. The commission must make recommendations for redesignating the building that reflect certain considerations, including the mission of the FBI, the values of the U.S. Constitution, and racial, ethnic, and gender diversity. The Director of the FBI must determine whether to redesignate the building in accordance with the commission's recommendations; if the Director declines to do so, the Director must submit an explanatory report to Congress.