H.R. 4608

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To direct the Secretary 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 for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · July 22, 2025 · Sponsor: Ms. Norton · Committee: Committee on Natural Resources

Table of contents

• H.R. 4608
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Removal of Plaque and Concrete from Memorial Fountain Grounds

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the Francis G. Newlands Memorial Removal Act.

SEC. 2. Removal of Plaque and Concrete from Memorial Fountain Grounds

• (a) In general
  • The Secretary of the Interior shall—
    • remove the brass plaque bearing the name from the grounds of the memorial fountain; Senator Francis G. Newlands
    • remove from the south end of the memorial fountain’s face, the stone, tablet-like projection bearing the name of and a related inscription; Francis Griffith Newlands
    • remove or permanently conceal the name carved into the upper face of the memorial fountain’s coping stones; and Newlands
    • offer the items removed pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) to the descendants of Francis Griffith Newlands for a period of 60 days, and if not claimed within that period, direct the items removed pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) to be maintained by the National Park Service as Federal property and accessioned into the Rock Creek Park museum collection.
• (b) Memorial fountain
  • For the purposes of this section, the term memorial fountain means the memorial fountain located at Chevy Chase Circle, Connecticut Avenue and Western Avenue NW, in the District of Columbia.