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Title 40 — Public Buildings, Property, and WorksRelease 119-73

§8908 Areas I and II

Title 40 › Subtitle SUBTITLE II— - PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND WORKS › Part PART D— - PUBLIC BUILDINGS, GROUNDS, AND PARKS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA › Chapter CHAPTER 89— - NATIONAL CAPITAL MEMORIALS AND COMMEMORATIVE WORKS › § 8908

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services must make the map “Commemorative Areas Washington, DC and Environs” (number 869/86501 B, dated June 24, 2003) available for the public at National Park Service and GSA offices. After advice from the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, they may recommend a commemorative work in Area I only if the subject is of outstanding, lasting national importance. They must tell that Commission and the House Natural Resources and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committees, and Congress must approve the recommendation by law within 150 calendar days. Commemorative works of lasting historical importance to the American people may be placed in Area II. Since the Commemorative Works Clarification and Revision Act of 2003 became law, no commemorative work or visitor center may be placed inside the Reserve.

Full Legal Text

Title 40, §8908

Public Buildings, Property, and Works — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services (as appropriate) shall make available, for public inspection at appropriate offices of the National Park Service and the General Services Administration, the map entitled “Commemorative Areas Washington, DC and Environs”, numbered 869/86501 B, and dated June 24, 2003.
(b)(1)After seeking the advice of the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, the Secretary or Administrator, as appropriate, may recommend the location of a commemorative work in Area I only if the Secretary or Administrator decides that the subject of the commemorative work is of preeminent historical and lasting significance to the United States. The Secretary or Administrator shall notify the Commission, the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate of the recommendation that a commemorative work should be located in Area I. The location of a commemorative work in Area I is deemed to be authorized only if the recommendation is approved by law not later than 150 calendar days after the notification.
(2)Commemorative works of subjects of lasting historical significance to the American people may be located in Area II.
(c)After the date of enactment of the Commemorative Works Clarification and Revision Act of 2003, no commemorative work or visitor center shall be located within the Reserve.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 8908(a)40:1005.Pub. L. 99–652, § 5, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3651. 8908(b)40:1006.Pub. L. 99–652, § 6, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3651; Pub. L. 103–321, § 2(c), Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1794. In subsection (b)(1), the words “the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate” are substituted for “the committees of Congress specified in section 1003(b) [sic] of this title” for clarity. The reference to section 1003(b) should be to section 1003(d).

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of the Commemorative Works Clarification and Revision Act of 2003, referred to in subsec. (c), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 108–126, which was approved Nov. 17, 2003.

Amendments

2009—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 111–11 inserted “Advisory” before “Commission” in first sentence and substituted “Natural Resources of the House” for “House Administration of the House” in second sentence. 2003—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–126, § 203(g)(2), which directed substitution of “entitled ‘Commemorative Areas Washington, DC and Environs’, numbered 869/86501 B, and dated
June 24, 2003” for “numbered 869/86581, and dated
May 1, 1986”, was executed by making the substitution for “numbered 869/86501, and dated
May 1, 1986” to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Pub. L. 108–126, § 203(g)(1), substituted “Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services (as appropriate)” for “Secretary of the Interior and Administrator of General Services”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–126, § 202(b), added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2003 Amendment

Amendments

by Pub. L. 108–126, except for the provision in the amendment made by section 202(b) prohibiting a visitor center from being located in the Reserve (as defined in section 8902 of this title), are not applicable to a commemorative work for which a site was approved in accordance with this chapter prior to Nov. 17, 2003, see section 205 of Pub. L. 108–126, set out as a note under section 8901 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

40 U.S.C. § 8908

Title 40 — Public Buildings, Property, and Works

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73