Bill Summary
The "Remembering Our Local Heroes Act" is proposed legislation that aims to establish a grant program under the Department of the Interior to provide funding for memorials honoring veterans, law enforcement officers, and firefighters. The Act mandates the Secretary of the Interior to set up this program within six months of its enactment.
Key provisions include:
1. **Eligible Recipients**: Grants will be awarded to local governments and nonprofit organizations that apply, with priority given to projects that demonstrate strong community support and honor individuals or groups known for their exemplary public service or acts of bravery.
2. **Funding Uses**: Grant funds can be used for the construction, restoration, renovation, or maintenance of memorials specifically designated to honor the aforementioned individuals.
3. **Grant Limitations**: Each entity can receive only one grant per fiscal year, with a maximum grant amount of $100,000. Recipients must also provide matching funds equal to at least 50% of the grant amount.
4. **Funding Authorization**: The program is authorized to receive $2 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
5. **Definition of Covered Memorials**: The Act defines "covered memorials" as structures or features that serve to permanently honor veterans, law enforcement officers, and firefighters.
Overall, this legislation seeks to support local efforts to recognize and honor individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities and the country through public service and bravery.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Remembering Our Local Heroes Act" could affect people:
1. **Community Engagement and Support**: The grant program is designed to prioritize projects that demonstrate strong community support. This can lead to increased civic engagement as local governments and nonprofit organizations mobilize community members to rally around memorial projects. People may come together to fundraise, volunteer, and participate in planning meetings, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose in honoring local heroes such as veterans, law enforcement officers, and firefighters.
2. **Preservation of History and Heritage**: By providing funding for the construction, restoration, renovation, and maintenance of memorials, the legislation helps to preserve the history and contributions of individuals who have served their communities. This can create a lasting legacy that educates future generations about the sacrifices made by these individuals, enhancing local cultural heritage and instilling pride in community history.
3. **Economic Impact**: The availability of grants, with a maximum of $100,000 per project, can stimulate local economies by funding construction and maintenance jobs related to the memorial projects. Additionally, the requirement for non-Federal matching funds means that local governments and organizations may need to invest their own resources, which can further boost local spending and economic activity. This can lead to job creation in sectors related to construction, landscaping, and memorial design.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4268 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4268
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program to
provide funding for memorials honoring veterans, law enforcement
officers, and firefighters, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 30, 2025
Ms. Tenney (for herself and Mr. Pappas) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program to
provide funding for memorials honoring veterans, law enforcement
officers, and firefighters, 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 ``Remembering Our Local Heroes Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR MEMORIALS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a grant program to
fund construction, restoration, renovation, and maintenance for covered
memorials.
(b) Eligible Entities.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary
may award grants to units of local government and nonprofit
organizations.
(2) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under the
Program, a unit of local government or nonprofit organization
shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
(3) Priority.--In awarding grants under the Program, the
Secretary shall give priority to grants that will fund
projects--
(A) for which strong support is demonstrated from
the local community; and
(B) that memorialize individuals or groups, living
or deceased--
(i) who are broadly viewed to have
contributed positively, in a manner
demonstrating exemplary public service, to
their community or to the United States; or
(ii) who distinguished themselves through
acts of bravery in which they risked their
lives.
(c) Use of Funds.--Grant funds awarded under the Program may only
be used for construction, restoration, renovation, or maintenance for
covered memorials.
(d) Limitation on Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may not award more than 1
grant in a fiscal year with respect to any single--
(A) unit of local government or nonprofit
organization; or
(B) covered memorial.
(2) Amount.--No grant awarded under the Program may exceed
$100,000.
(e) Matching Requirement.--
(1) In general.--The recipient of a grant under the Program
shall provide non-Federal matching funds equal to not less than
50 percent of the grant.
(2) In-kind support.--The non-Federal matching funds
described in paragraph (1) may include in-kind support.
(f) Authorization.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary to carry out the Program $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2026 through 2030.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered memorial.--
(A) In general.--The term ``covered memorial''
means any statue, monument, sculpture, memorial,
plaque, inscription, or other structure or landscape
feature, including a garden or memorial grove that is--
(i) owned or administered by a unit of
local government or nonprofit organization; and
(ii) designed to perpetuate in a permanent
manner the memory of individuals or groups,
living or deceased, who--
(I) are veterans of the Armed
Forces who served on or after April 6,
1917;
(II) are members of the Armed
Forces killed while on active duty as a
result of injuries incurred in the line
of duty on or after April 6, 1917;
(III) have served as law
enforcement officers; or
(IV) have served as firefighters.
(B) Exception.--The term ``covered memorial'' does
not include any item listed in subparagraph (A) that is
located within the interior of a structure or a
structure which is primarily used for other purposes.
(2) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the grant program
established under this section.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(4) Unit of local government.--The term ``unit of local
government'' means--
(A) a unit of general government below the State
level, including a city, county, municipality, town,
township, or village;
(B) the Government of the District of Columbia;
(C) the government of, or a unit of general
government within, American Samoa, Guam, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the
United States, and any other territory or possession of
the United States; or
(D) the Tribal Government of a federally recognized
Indian Tribe.
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