Sponsors (3)
The bill preserves a specific historical exhibit configuration and shifts control over display changes to Congress, at the cost of reduced Park Service flexibility, potential delays in updating content for accuracy or safety, and added fiscal and operational strain.
Visitors, students, and schools will see exhibits at Independence National Historical Park restored to their January 21, 2026 appearance within 15 days, preserving display continuity and educational value.
Taxpayers and state governments gain clearer Congressional control over major changes to interpretive displays, limiting unilateral alterations by the Interior Department.
Schools, researchers, and visitors could be prevented from seeing updated exhibits reflecting new scholarship, safety changes, or corrective context because any change would require Congressional authorization.
Taxpayers may face higher federal costs or reallocation of existing park funding to pay for mandated restorations and ongoing maintenance.
State park staff and operations could be strained because the 15-day deadline may force rushed restorations or divert staff from other park responsibilities.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires Interior/NPS to restore exhibits at Independence National Historical Park to their Jan 21, 2026 appearance within 15 days and bars further changes without Congress.
Introduced March 3, 2026 by Brendan Francis Boyle · Last progress March 3, 2026
Requires the Secretary of the Interior (through the National Park Service) to restore any exhibits at Independence National Historical Park that were removed from public display after January 21, 2026, so they appear as they did on that date. Restoration must be completed within 15 days of the law taking effect and the Secretary is barred from adding, removing, destroying, or otherwise altering those exhibits without explicit Congressional authorization. Also directs that the Act have an official short title and defines terms used in the restoration requirement, including what counts as a covered exhibit and who the Secretary and Historical Park are for purposes of the requirement.