PROTECT Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8522
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-08T20:58:14Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill, titled the "Prohibiting Repressive Officials from Titular Engravings, Commemorations, and Tributes Act" (or "PROTECT Act"), aims to prevent any federal buildings, land, or other assets from being named, renamed, or designated in honor of Donald J. Trump.
Key Provisions
- Prohibition on Naming: No federal building, land, or other asset may be named, renamed, designated, or redesignated in the name of Donald J. Trump, regardless of any other existing law.
- Funding Restriction: No federal funds may be used for such naming or redesignation activities.
- Reversion of Existing Names: Any federal asset already named after Donald J. Trump must revert to its previous name as established by federal law at the time of the bill's enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Overrides conflicting laws that might allow naming federal assets after individuals.
- Introduces a mandatory reversion process for assets already named after Donald J. Trump, which did not previously exist in statute.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Agencies responsible for federal buildings and lands (e.g., General Services Administration, Department of the Interior) would be barred from using Trump's name and required to rename any existing assets, potentially involving administrative costs for signage and records changes.
- Citizens: Limited direct impact, though it could affect public perception of federal commemorations; no broad effects on services or rights.
- International Relations: Negligible, as it pertains to domestic naming practices.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: Those managing buildings, lands, and assets (e.g., Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, Oversight and Government Reform committees).
- Congress: Holds authority over naming federal assets; bill requires committee review.
- Donald J. Trump and Associates: Directly prohibits personal commemoration via federal assets.
- Public and Political Groups: Supporters or critics of Trump may view it symbolically.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes a specific, individual-targeted prohibition, potentially raising questions about selective application (e.g., bill of attainder concerns, where Congress punishes a named person without trial—though naming is a legislative power).
- Constitutional: Congress has broad authority over federal property naming, but equal protection challenges could arise if seen as discriminatory.
- Political: Highly partisan, as it singles out one former president; could set precedent for future targeted bans on honorees, influencing debates on commemorations. Referred to multiple committees for jurisdictional review.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-27: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-27: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-27: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Prohibiting Repressive Officials from Titular Engravings, Commemorations, and Tributes Act — issued 2026-04-27 — PDF (2 pages)