No Funding to Honor Crime Scenes Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4293
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-14: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-23T19:00:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill aims to immediately close, defund, and sell off federal ownership of the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument in California, redirecting any related funds to reduce DNA testing backlogs for criminal investigations.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- "Monument": The Cesar E. Chavez National Monument, created by Presidential Proclamation 8884 in 2012.
- "Secretary": Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service (NPS) Director.
- "Site": Federal lands within the monument, including Cesar Chavez's home, gravesite, memorial garden, and contents of his personal office.
- Name Changes: Removes "Cesar E. Chavez" from all U.S. laws, regulations, maps, and documents referencing the monument.
- Immediate Closure: Closes all federal property in the monument to public access upon enactment.
- Revocation: Ends the force and effect of Presidential Proclamation 8884.
- Defunding: Prohibits any new federal funding for the monument.
- Disposal: Requires the Secretary to sell the site at fair market value within 90 days, overriding other laws.
- Fund Transfer: Directs unobligated prior funds and sale proceeds to the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 (for processing DNA samples in criminal cases).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Nullifies a presidential proclamation establishing the monument, shifting from ongoing federal preservation to quick sale.
- Overrides prior laws on federal land management to mandate disposal.
- Redirects monument-related funds from NPS operations to criminal justice DNA processing.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: NPS loses control and funding for the site; Department of Justice gains resources for DNA backlogs, potentially speeding up cold case resolutions.
- Citizens: Public access ends immediately; California residents and visitors lose a historical site; potential private buyers could repurpose the land.
- No International Relations Impact: Purely domestic.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- National Park Service/Department of the Interior: Must execute closure and sale.
- Supporters of Cesar Chavez Legacy: Groups honoring his labor rights activism face loss of federal site.
- Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice: Benefits from redirected funds for DNA analysis.
- Potential Buyers: Private entities or locals interested in purchasing the site.
- California State/Local Communities: Affected by land transfer and economic/tourism changes.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Congress uses its authority over federal lands (Property Clause of Constitution) to override a presidential monument designation, setting precedent for quick disposals.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; upholds separation of powers as Congress manages public lands.
- Political: Provocative short title ("No Funding to Honor Crime Scenes Act") implies criticism of the site's honoree, potentially sparking debate on historical commemorations versus public priorities like crime-solving.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-14: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2026-04-14: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- No Funding to Honor Crime Scenes Act — issued 2026-04-14 — PDF (3 pages)