S. 2369 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jul 22, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRemoves Francis Newlands name from D.C. memorial
This bill tells the Department of the Interior to remove or hide the name of Francis Newlands from a memorial fountain at Chevy Chase Circle in Washington, D.C. The name appears on a brass plaque, a stone tablet on the fountain's face, and carved into the fountain's coping stones. Any items removed would be offered to Newlands's descendants for 60 days, and if unclaimed, they'd be kept by the National Park Service as part of the Rock Creek Park museum collection.
How it affects you
This change is primarily ceremonial and affects visitors to Chevy Chase Circle in Washington, D.C., who would see an altered memorial. Most people outside the D.C. area won't directly experience a change in their daily lives.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jul 22, 2025)
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
• 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;
• 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;
• remove or permanently conceal the name Newlands carved into the upper face of the memorial fountain's coping stones; and
• 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.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 2369
A BILL
Francis G. Newlands Memorial Removal Act
Sponsor: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) · Introduced Jul 22, 2025 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Dec 9, 2025: “Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-238.”