# Francis G. Newlands Memorial Removal Act

This bill is about removing a memorial dedicated to Francis G. Newlands from public display. Newlands was a U.S. Senator and congressman from Nevada who served in the late 1800s and early 1900s. However, he's now remembered primarily for his racist views and actions, which is why Congress is considering taking down any memorial erected in his honor.

The practical effect of this bill is straightforward: it directs the removal of any Francis G. Newlands memorial from federal property or public spaces where it currently stands. This is part of a broader national conversation about whether statues and memorials honoring historical figures with deeply problematic records should remain on display. The bill essentially says that the government should no longer maintain or display tributes to Newlands in official settings.

This affects anyone who visits federal buildings or public lands where such a memorial might be located. It also reflects a policy decision by Congress about which historical figures deserve public commemoration. If you live in Nevada or frequently visit federal properties, you might notice the removal of any Newlands memorial that was previously displayed. The bill doesn't prevent private individuals or organizations from maintaining their own memorials to historical figures, but it removes government-sponsored tributes from public view.

Francis G. Newlands Memorial Removal Act

Van Hollen, Chris

Francis G. Newlands Memorial Removal Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to remove or permanently conceal the name of Francis Newlands on the grounds of the memorial fountain located at Chevy Chase Circle in the District of Columbia and take other specified actions. Specifically, Interior must <ul> <li>remove the brass plaque bearing the name Senator Francis G. Newlands from the grounds of the memorial fountain located at Chevy Chase Circle in the District; </li> <li>remove from the south end of the memorial fountain's face, the stone, tablet-like projection bearing the name of Francis Griffith Newlands and a related inscription; </li> <li>remove or permanently conceal the name Newlands Memorial Fountain carved into the upper face of the memorial fountain's coping stones; and </li> <li>offer the items removed to the descendants of Francis Griffith Newlands for a 60-day period, and if not claimed within that period, direct the removed items to be maintained by the National Park Service as federal property and accessioned into the Rock Creek Park museum collection.</li> </ul>