Restoring Names of American Greatness Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 4533

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-07-17: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Last Updated

2025-08-01T17:13:23Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

This bill, H.R. 4533, aims to convert a specific part of an executive order into permanent federal law. The executive order in question, Executive Order 14172, is titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness" and focuses on reinstating certain names for U.S. places or landmarks that reflect historical or patriotic themes. By codifying it, the bill seeks to ensure this policy cannot be easily overturned by future presidential actions alone.

Key Provisions

• Short Title: The act is named the "Restoring Names of American Greatness Act of 2025."
• Codification Clause: Section 2 of Executive Order 14172 (published in the Federal Register at 90 Fed. Reg. 8629) is given the full force and effect of law. This section likely directs federal agencies to restore or preserve names that emphasize American historical achievements, though the bill itself does not detail the exact content of that section.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Executive orders are temporary directives from the president that can be reversed by a subsequent administration. This bill transforms Section 2 of the order into statutory law, meaning it would require congressional action to amend or repeal.
• It builds on prior naming policies (e.g., those addressing historical figures or events) by prioritizing "names that honor American greatness," potentially overriding recent changes made under diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives or other reviews of place names.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Agencies like the Department of Defense (for military bases) and the Department of the Interior (for national parks or landmarks) would be legally bound to implement and maintain the restored names, affecting signage, maps, and official records.
• On Citizens: Could influence public perception of history and identity, with changes to familiar place names potentially evoking pride for some while causing division for others; minimal direct economic impact but possible costs for renaming processes.
• On International Relations: Likely negligible, as it pertains to domestic naming conventions, though it might signal U.S. cultural priorities in diplomatic contexts involving historical sites.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Agencies: Primarily those managing public lands, military installations, and historical sites (e.g., National Park Service, U.S. Army).
• Citizens and Communities: Local residents near affected sites, historians, veterans' groups, and advocacy organizations focused on historical preservation or cultural representation.
• Political Figures: Supporters of traditional American heritage versus those advocating for reevaluation of historical names tied to controversial figures.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Elevates an executive action to statutory status, reducing executive branch flexibility and potentially inviting court challenges if the codification conflicts with existing laws on naming or historical accuracy (e.g., under the Administrative Procedure Act).
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority to make laws (Article I), but could raise First Amendment questions if name restorations are seen as endorsing specific viewpoints on history.
• Political: Represents a partisan effort to enshrine a policy associated with conservative values, making it a flashpoint in debates over national identity and the role of government in cultural matters; passage would require majority support in Congress, highlighting divisions on historical reinterpretation.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]

Recent Actions

• 2025-07-17: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
• 2025-07-17: Introduced in House
• 2025-07-17: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Restoring Names of American Greatness Act of 2025 — issued 2025-07-17 — PDF (1 pages)