H.R. 4268

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4268 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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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