Congress · Laws

Commemorative Works Act

Public Law 103-321 · H.R. 2947 · 103rd Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Aug 26, 1994 · Commemorations

Sponsor: Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT-6)

Cosponsors (61): Rep. Frank Wolf, Rep. Kweisi Mfume,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 378 yea, 0 nay378–0
SenateVoice vote

Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

Report a correction

Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Commemorative Works Act - Extends the authorization of the following entities to establish a memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia to: (1) October 27, 1996, for the Black Revolutionary War Patriots; (2) November 6, 1999, for the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation; and (3) June 30, 1997, for the National Peace Garden.

Deems any reference in a record of the United States to the Peace Garden Project, Inc., to be a reference to the National Peace Garden.

Changes the definition of "commemorative works" to include a plaque or inscription. Requires such works to be significant in American history (currently, history). Defines "person" to mean a public agency, an individual, group, or organization that is tax-exempt.

Prohibits commemorative works from being established on Federal lands administered by the National Park Service and the General Services Administration located in Areas I and II in the District of Columbia or its environs without congressional authorization.

Authorizes a military commemorative work only to honor a major conflict (war) or military branch. Prohibits the authorization of a commemorative work that honors a lesser conflict or an armed forces unit. Provides that commemorative works honoring: (1) a major conflict (war) shall not be authorized until at least ten years after the officially designated end of the event; and (2) a nonmilitary event, individual, or group of individuals shall not be authorized until after the 25th anniversary of the event or death of the individual(s).

Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services (as appropriate) to suspend any activity with respect to the establishment of a commemorative work if the Secretary or Administrator determines the fund raising efforts regarding the commemorative work have misrepresented an affiliation with the commemorative work or the United States.

Requires a person authorized to construct the commemorative work to submit annually to the Secretary and the Administrator an operations report, including financial statements audited by an independent certified public accountant, paid for by the individual.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 103rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 378 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

378 yea0 nay56 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(224)

Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-9
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Barbara-Rose CollinsD-MI-15
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-14
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-11
Rep. Michael KopetskiD-OR-5
Rep. Donald PayneD-NJ-10
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-10
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-13
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Major OwensD-NY-11
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12
Rep. Earl HilliardD-AL-7
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Cynthia McKinneyD-GA-11
Rep. Carrie MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Jolene UnsoeldD-WA-3
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Daniel HamburgD-CA-1
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-10
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-33
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1
Rep. William FordD-MI-13
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2
Rep. Bernie SandersD-VT
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-29
Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-50
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-15
Rep. Cleo FieldsD-LA-4
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-32
Rep. Eva ClaytonD-NC-1
Rep. George BrownD-CA-42
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. William JeffersonD-LA-2
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26
Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. Maurice HincheyD-NY-26
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Kweisi MfumeD-MD-7
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Alan WheatD-MO-5
Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-3
Rep. Walter TuckerD-CA-37
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Elizabeth FurseD-OR-1
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-24
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. Joseph KennedyD-MA-8
Rep. Thomas AndrewsD-ME-1
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-5
Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-5
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-18
Rep. Harry JohnstonD-FL-19
Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. David SkaggsD-CO-2
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Jack ReedD-RI-2
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Francis McCloskeyD-IN-8
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-9
Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-7
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. George HochbruecknerD-NY-1
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-11
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-9
Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-31
Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-2
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Ted StricklandD-OH-6
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-29
Rep. Thomas BarlowD-KY-1
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. Karan EnglishD-AZ-6
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Mike KreidlerD-WA-9
Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. Thomas BarrettD-WI-5
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-2
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Herbert KleinD-NJ-8
Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-8
Rep. Peter DeutschD-FL-20
Rep. Frank TejedaD-TX-28
Rep. Pete PetersonD-FL-2
Rep. Ron KlinkD-PA-4
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3
Rep. Buddy DardenD-GA-7
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. Leslie ByrneD-VA-11
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Lynn SchenkD-CA-49
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. James BacchusD-FL-15
Rep. Larry LaRoccoD-ID-1
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Maria CantwellD-WA-1
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-6
Rep. George SangmeisterD-IL-11
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Karen ShepherdD-UT-2
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Samuel CoppersmithD-AZ-1
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Jill Long ThompsonD-IN-4
Rep. Karen ThurmanD-FL-5
Rep. Marjorie Margolies-MezvinskyD-PA-13
Rep. Pat DannerD-MO-6
Rep. Earl PomeroyD-ND
Rep. David MannD-OH-1
Rep. Jay InsleeD-WA-4
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Tim JohnsonD-SD
Rep. Paul McHaleD-PA-15
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Peter HoaglandD-NE-2
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Jim ChapmanD-TX-1
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Eric FingerhutD-OH-19
Rep. James BilbrayD-NV-1
Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-20
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Scotty BaeslerD-KY-6
Rep. James TraficantD-OH-17
Rep. Richard LehmanD-CA-19
Rep. Timothy RoemerD-IN-3
Rep. Blanche LincolnD-AR-1
Rep. John BrowderD-AL-3
Rep. Peter BarcaD-WI-1
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-6
Rep. Don JohnsonD-GA-10
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12
Rep. Gregory LaughlinD-TX-14
Rep. Lewis PayneD-VA-5
Rep. Richard SwettD-NH-2
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11
Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
Rep. Martin LancasterD-NC-3
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1
Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-3
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Owen PickettD-VA-2
Rep. James BarciaD-MI-5
Rep. William BrewsterD-OK-3
Rep. David MingeD-MN-2
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
Rep. William SarpaliusD-TX-13
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. Glenn PoshardD-IL-19
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-20
Rep. James HayesD-LA-7
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7
Rep. Pete GerenD-TX-12
Rep. Nathan DealD-GA-9
Rep. Mike ParkerD-MS-4
Rep. Gary ConditD-CA-18
Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
Rep. William OrtonD-UT-3
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4

Republicans who voted yea(154)

Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-20
Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-23
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-19
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-31
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Stephen HornR-CA-38
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. Arthur RavenelR-SC-1
Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21
Rep. Peter TorkildsenR-MA-6
Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-5
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1
Rep. Peter BluteR-MA-3
Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
Rep. Jim GreenwoodR-PA-8
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18
Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Rick LazioR-NY-2
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. Gary FranksR-CT-5
Rep. Steven SchiffR-NM-1
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-30
Rep. Bob FranksR-NJ-7
Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. Helen BentleyR-MD-2
Rep. Frederick GrandyR-IA-5
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Susan MolinariR-NY-13
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6
Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-40
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. Scott KlugR-WI-2
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-5
Rep. Vernon EhlersR-MI-3
Rep. Scott McInnisR-CO-3
Rep. Tillie FowlerR-FL-4
Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. Deborah PryceR-OH-15
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-21
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
Rep. Richard ZimmerR-NJ-12
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-43
Rep. David LevyR-NY-4
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-4
Rep. James LightfootR-IA-3
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
Rep. John McHughR-NY-24
Rep. Jay DickeyR-AR-4
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-23
Rep. Jennifer DunnR-WA-8
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3
Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-7
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2
Rep. Harris FawellR-IL-13
Rep. Jim TalentR-MO-2
Rep. Rob PortmanR-OH-2
Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
Rep. Charles CanadyR-FL-12
Rep. Bill BarrettR-NE-3
Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
Rep. Thomas EwingR-IL-15
Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-6
Rep. Alfred McCandlessR-CA-44
Rep. Tim HutchinsonR-AR-3
Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-51
Rep. Jay KimR-CA-41
Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
Rep. Pete HoekstraR-MI-2
Rep. Dan MillerR-FL-13
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-5
Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
Rep. Porter GossR-FL-14
Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-48
Rep. Ernest IstookR-OK-5
Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
Rep. Thomas LewisR-FL-16
Rep. Nick SmithR-MI-7
Rep. William ZeliffR-NH-1
Rep. Robert SmithR-OR-2
Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
Rep. Bob InglisR-SC-4
Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-2
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Jon KylR-AZ-4
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2
Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
Rep. John LinderR-GA-4
Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7
Rep. Donald ManzulloR-IL-16
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-27
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-11
Rep. Jim InhofeR-OK-1
Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Jim BunningR-KY-4
Rep. Mike CrapoR-ID-2
Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
Rep. Christopher CoxR-CA-47
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-22
Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6
Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-46
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. William PaxonR-NY-27
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-4
Rep. Wayne AllardR-CO-4
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-39
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-45
Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
Rep. Mel HancockR-MO-7

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 986 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

Report a correction

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Federal Lands Subcommittee
Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: National Parks Subcommittee

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 26 actions.

Aug 26, 1994Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 103-321.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Aug 19, 1994PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Aug 16, 1994Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 378 - 0 (Roll No. 397).House roll call 397
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Vento moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
FloorFloor · VOTE POSTPONED - Mr. Vento demanded a vote on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments. The Speaker postponed further action.
OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 378 - 0 (Roll No. 397).House roll call 397
Apr 12, 1994FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
Apr 5, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Mar 9, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Feb 10, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Nov 23, 1993FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent. (CR H10921-10923)
FloorFloor · Mr. Vento asked unanimous consent to discharge the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and consider.
CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Nov 20, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
Nov 10, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
Nov 4, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
Oct 21, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
Sep 16, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
Aug 6, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House

Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.