119-s2894

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2894 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2894

To establish a process for the Board on Geographic Names to review and 
 revise offensive place names, to create an advisory committee to 
 recommend offensive place names to be reviewed by the Board, and for 
 other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 September 18 (legislative day, September 16), 2025

 Ms. Warren (for herself, Mr. Booker, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Padilla, Mr. 
 Markey, Ms. Smith, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. 
 Schiff) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To establish a process for the Board on Geographic Names to review and 
 revise offensive place names, to create an advisory committee to 
 recommend offensive place names to be reviewed by the Board, and for 
 other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Reconciliation in Place Names Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds that--

    (1) the United States contains geographic features named--
        (A) with derogatory terms that include racial and 
 sexual slurs and stereotypes targeting Native 
 Americans, African Americans, and others;
        (B) in honor of individuals who--
            (i) held racially repugnant views;
            (ii) committed atrocities against Native 
 Americans; or
            (iii) supported or effectuated 
 discriminatory policies; and
            (C) to recognize individuals who carried out 
 injustices against racial minorities;

    (2) place names that include racial or sexual slurs, or 
 honor individuals who held racially repugnant views, committed 
 atrocities against Native Americans, or carried out injustices 
 against racial minorities--
        (A) perpetuate prejudice;
        (B) disparage racial minorities; and
            (C) honor individuals who committed or supported 
 atrocities;

    (3) no geographic feature in the United States should have 
 a name that--
        (A) perpetuates prejudice;
        (B) disparages racial minorities; or
            (C) honors individuals who committed or supported 
 atrocities against racial minorities;

    (4) place names in the United States should--
        (A) be equitable and just;
        (B) honor the cultural diversity of the United 
 States; and
            (C) advance dignity for all people in the United 
 States;

    (5) the Board on Geographic Names, jointly with the 
 Secretary, is responsible for naming geographic features in the 
 United States;

    (6) the policies of the Board on Geographic Names--
        (A) authorize changing the names of geographic 
 features determined to be offensive; and
        (B) prohibit the Federal use of terms determined to 
 be derogatory or offensive in geographic place names;

    (7) the renaming process of the Board on Geographic Names--
        (A) is time consuming;
        (B) lacks transparency and public involvement; and
            (C) fails to address the scope and breadth of 
 inappropriate place names;

    (8) the extent of inappropriate or offensive place names in 
 the United States requires a systematic, public process in 
 which offensive and inappropriate place names are reviewed and 
 replaced; and

    (9) the process described in paragraph

    (8) offers an 
 opportunity for reconciliation for--
        (A) people of the United States who suffer from 
 prejudice and racial violence; and
        (B) all people of the United States in whose name 
 the acts were committed.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Board on 
 Geographic Names established by 

section 2 of the Act of July 
 25, 1947 (43 U.S.C. 364a).

    (2) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the Advisory 
 Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names established by 
 

section 4

    (a) .

    (3) Federal land unit.--The term ``Federal land unit'' 
 includes--
        (A) National Forest System land;
        (B) a unit of the National Park System;
            (C) a component of the National Wilderness 
 Preservation System;
            (D) any part of the National Landscape Conservation 
 System; and
        (E) a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

    (4) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
 meaning given the term in 

section 4 of the Indian Self-
 Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

    (5) Offensive place name.--The term ``offensive place 
 name'' means a domestic geographic place name or Federal land 
 unit name that--
        (A) recognizes an individual who--
            (i) 
            (I) held racially repugnant views;
            (II) committed atrocities against Native 
 Americans; or
            (III) supported or effectuated 
 discriminatory policies; or
            (ii) carried out other injustices against 
 racial minorities;
        (B) contains a racial or sexual slur;
            (C) perpetuates racial, ethnic, or gender-based 
 stereotypes; or
            (D) is derogatory or otherwise offensive.

    (6) Tribal organization.--The term ``Tribal organization'' 
 has the meaning given the term in 

section 4 of the Indian Self-
 Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

    (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of the Interior.

SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish an advisory 
committee, to be known as the ``Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in 
Place Names''.

    (b) 

=== Purpose ===
-The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Board, 
the Secretary, and Congress with respect to renaming geographic 
features and Federal land units with offensive place names.
            (c) Membership.--The Committee shall be composed of 17 members, to 
be appointed by the Secretary, of whom, to the extent practicable--

    (1) 4 members shall be members of an Indian Tribe;

    (2) 1 member shall represent a Tribal organization;

    (3) 1 member shall represent a Native Hawaiian 
 organization;

    (4) 4 members shall have a background in civil rights or 
 race relations;

    (5) 4 members shall have expertise in--
        (A) anthropology;
        (B) cultural studies, ethnic studies, or indigenous 
 studies;
            (C) geography; or
            (D) history; and

    (6) 3 members shall represent the general public.
            (d) Consultation With Indian Tribes.--Before making an appointment 
under paragraph

    (1) ,

    (2) , or

    (4) of subsection
            (c) , the Secretary shall 
consult with Indian Tribes regarding the appointment.

    (e) Duties.--The Committee shall--

    (1) establish a process to solicit and review proposals to 
 rename geographic features and Federal land units with 
 offensive place names;

    (2) solicit proposals to rename geographic features and 
 Federal land units with offensive place names and derogatory 
 terms from--
        (A) Indian Tribes;
        (B) appropriate State and local governments;
            (C) the affected land management agency; and
            (D) members of the public;

    (3) provide an opportunity for public comment on name 
 change proposals;

    (4) make proposals to the Board and the Secretary to rename 
 geographic features with offensive place names, including 
 proposed new names;

    (5) make proposals to Congress to rename Federal land units 
 with offensive place names, including proposed new names; and

    (6) make recommendations to the Board on improvements to 
 the process of reviewing and revising offensive place names.

    (f) Compensation.--

    (1) In general.--Members of the Committee shall serve 
 without compensation.

    (2) Travel expenses.--Members of the Committee shall be 
 allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
 subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency 
 under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
 Code, while away from the home or regular place of business of 
 the member in the performance of the duties of the Committee.

    (g) Staff.--The Secretary shall provide the Committee with any 
staff members and technical assistance that the Secretary, after 
consultation with the Committee, determines to be appropriate to enable 
the Committee to carry out the duties of the Committee.

    (h) Rules.--The Committee may adopt such rules as may be necessary.
            (i) Applicable Law.--The Committee shall be subject to chapter 10 
of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Federal 
Advisory Committee Act'').

    (j) Duration.--

    (1) Timeline.--To the extent practicable, not later than 5 
 years after the date on which the Committee is established, the 
 Committee shall fulfill the duties of the Committee, including 
 the completion of the proposals required under paragraphs

    (4) and

    (5) of subsection

    (e) .

    (2) Termination.--The Committee shall terminate on the date 
 that is 1 year after the date on which the Board has approved 
 or rejected each Committee proposal submitted to the Board 
 under subsection

    (e)

    (4) .

SEC. 5. BOARD REVIEW.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which the 
Board receives a proposal under 

section 4

    (e)

    (4) , the Board shall accept 
or reject the proposal.

    (b) Process.--The Board shall approve a proposal of the Committee 
submitted under 

section 4

    (e)

    (4) unless the Board determines that--

    (1) there is a compelling reason and substantial public 
 interest in rejecting the proposal; or

    (2) approving the proposal would violate Federal law.
            (c) Renaming.--If the Board accepts a proposal by the Committee to 
rename a geographic feature, the Board shall rename the geographic 
feature.
            (d) Effect.--A Board policy that prevents the Board from 
considering a name change due to pending legislation shall not apply to 
Board action on Committee proposals.
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