Sponsors (2)
The bill ensures consistent, Congress-controlled naming of statutorily designated federal property and deters unilateral renamings, but does so by criminalizing unauthorized changes and restricting agencies' flexibility—raising legal risk, potential enforcement costs, and limits on local or agency decision-making.
Federal agencies, state governments, taxpayers, and the public gain a clear, uniform rule that only Congress can rename statutorily named federal property, reducing confusion and preserving consistent application of naming law.
Covered federal appointees and taxpayers benefit from stronger deterrence against politically motivated or chaotic renamings because the bill creates criminal penalties for willful unauthorized renaming.
Taxpayers and federal employees benefit from protection of the names of statutorily designated federal buildings and memorials, preserving congressional intent and historical naming decisions.
Covered political appointees face increased criminal liability (fines and up to 10 years imprisonment) for unauthorized renaming, raising substantial personal legal risk for agency leaders.
Agencies and state partners may be hampered in making urgent corrections, rebrandings, or mission-related name adjustments because authority to rename is constrained to acts of Congress, reducing operational flexibility.
Taxpayers could bear increased enforcement and litigation costs if minor signage errors or routine administrative name changes lead to criminal prosecutions or other enforcement actions.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits renaming federally statutorily-named property except by Congress and makes politically appointed officials criminally liable for unauthorized renaming or incorrect name displays, with fines and possible imprisonment.
Official title: To amend titles 5, 18, and 40, United States Code, to prohibit the renaming of Federal property except through a provision of law enacted by Congress, and for other purposes.
Introduced August 6, 2026 by Ted Lieu · Last progress August 6, 2026
Prohibits renaming or redesignating federal property except by an express act of Congress and creates a new federal crime for politically appointed officers or employees who willfully rename, redesignate, or otherwise display an incorrect name on federally statutorily-named property. The criminal penalties vary by the amount of damage: up to 10 years imprisonment and fines if damage exceeds $1,000, or up to 1 year and fines if $1,000 or less. The law's definitions, cross-references, and effective date (January 1, 2027) are added to Titles 5, 18, and 40 of the U.S. Code.