Sponsors (2)
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text: CR S3256)
Last progress June 5, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 5, 2025 by Adam Schiff
Expresses the Senate’s support for naming a class of Navy fleet replenishment oilers after several civil rights leaders and urges the Department of Defense to keep those names in place. The measure is a non-binding, symbolic statement honoring the legacy of those leaders and does not create legal obligations, change funding, or alter operations.
The John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers serve a vital role in replenishing fuel to United States Navy ships and aircraft assigned to aircraft carriers.
Naming the class of ship and the first of its members after former United States Congressman John Lewis is a befitting tribute to a true United States civil rights icon.
Other ships in the class, including ships that are still under construction or are not yet constructed, have been named after other civil rights luminaries: Harvey Milk, Earl Warren, Robert F. Kennedy, Lucy Stone, Sojourner Truth, Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman, Dolores Huerta, Joshua L. Goldberg, and Thomas D. Parham.
By naming these ships, the United States Navy has appropriately celebrated notable civil rights leaders and their legacy in promoting a more equal and just United States.
The Senate strongly supports naming John Lewis-class fleet replacement oilers after the referenced civil rights leaders as a fitting tribute to honor their contributions to advancing civil rights.
Direct legal impact: none. This is an advisory, symbolic resolution that expresses the Senate’s preferences but does not change law, budgets, or DoD authority. Practical effects are primarily symbolic and cultural: it can influence public perception, honor the legacies of civil rights figures, and signal congressional sentiment to the Department of Defense and the Navy. Naval leaders and personnel may use the naming as part of ship ceremonies, heritage materials, and morale/identity for crew. Civil rights communities and the general public receive formal recognition. There are no operational, procurement, or funding consequences for federal agencies, states, or localities, and no mandates or requirements are imposed on nonfederal entities.