I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1621 

To authorize a national memorial to commemorate those whose lives were 

lost to COVID–19 and those who helped the country to recover, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2023 

Mr. ESPAILLAT (for himself, Mr. TORRES of New York, and Mr. BOWMAN) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize a national memorial to commemorate those 

whose lives were lost to COVID–19 and those who helped 

the country to recover, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘COVID–19 National 

5 Memorial Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. MEMORIAL. 

7 There is established a memorial located at a des8 ignated location in the Bronx, New York, to honor the 

9 lives lost and the heroes who helped. 


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1 SEC. 3. ADVISORY COMMISSION. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com3 mission to be known as the ‘‘COVID–19 National Memo4 rial Commission’’ (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 

5 ‘‘Commission’’). 

6 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall consist of 

7 15 members, including the Director of the National Park 

8 Service, or the Director’s designee, and 14 members ap9 pointed by the Secretary. 

10 (c) TERM.—The term of the members of the Commis11 sion shall be for the life of the Commission. 

12 (d) CHAIR.—The members of the Commission shall 

13 select the Chair of the Commission. 

14 (e) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Commission 

15 shall not affect its powers if a quorum is present, but shall 

16 be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. 

17 (f) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the 

18 call of the Chairperson or a majority of the members, but 

19 not less often than quarterly. Notice of the Commission 

20 meetings and agendas for the meetings shall be published 

21 in local newspapers in the vicinity of Somerset County and 

22 in the Federal Register. Meetings of the Commission shall 

23 be subject to section 552b of title 5, United States Code 

24 (relating to open meetings). 


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1 (g) QUORUM.—A majority of the members serving on 

2 the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the trans3 action of any business. 

4 (h) NO COMPENSATION.—Members of the Commis5 sion shall serve without compensation, but may be reim6 bursed for expenses incurred in carrying out the duties 

7 of the Commission. 

8 (i) DUTIES.—The duties of the Commission shall be 

9 to— 

10 (1) not later than 3 years after the date of the 

11 enactment of this Act, submit to the Secretary and 

12 Congress a report containing recommendations for 

13 the planning, design, construction, and long-term 

14 management of a permanent memorial; 

15 (2) advise the Secretary on the boundaries of 

16 the memorial site; 

17 (3) advise the Secretary in the development of 

18 a management plan for the memorial site; 

19 (4) consult and coordinate closely with the 

20 State of New York, New York City, the Bronx Bor21 ough, and other interested parties; and 

22 (5) provide significant opportunities for public 

23 participation in the planning and design of the me24 morial. 

25 (j) POWERS.—The Commission may— 


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1 (1) make such expenditures for services and 

2 materials for the purpose of carrying out this Act as 

3 the Commission considers advisable from funds ap4 propriated or received as gifts for that purpose; 

5 (2) subject to approval by the Secretary, solicit 

6 and accept donations of funds and gifts, personal 

7 property, supplies, or services from individuals, foun8 dations, corporations, and other private or public en9 tities to be used in connection with the construction 

10 or other expenses of the memorial; 

11 (3) hold hearings, enter into contracts for per12 sonal services and otherwise; 

13 (4) do such other things as are necessary to 

14 carry out this Act; and 

15 (5) by a vote of the majority of the Commis16 sion, delegate such of its duties as it determines ap17 propriate to employees of the National Park Service. 

18 (k) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

19 upon dedication of the completed memorial. 

20 SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. 

21 The Secretary is authorized to— 

22 (1) provide assistance to the Commission, in23 cluding advice on collections, storage, and archives; 


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1 (2) consult and assist the Commission in pro2 viding information, interpretation, and the conduct 

3 of oral history interviews; 

4 (3) provide assistance in conducting public 

5 meetings and forums held by the Commission; 

6 (4) provide project management assistance to 

7 the Commission for planning, design, and construc8 tion activities; 

9 (5) provide programming and design assistance 

10 to the Commission for possible memorial exhibits, 

11 collections, or activities; 

12 (6) provide staff assistance and support to the 

13 Commission; 

14 (7) participate in the formulation of plans for 

15 the design of the memorial, to accept funds raised 

16 by the Commission for construction of the memorial, 

17 and to construct the memorial; 

18 (8) acquire from willing sellers the land or in19 terests in land for the memorial site by donation, 

20 purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or ex21 change; and 

22 (9) to administer the memorial as a unit of the 

23 National Park System in accordance with this Act 


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1 and with the laws generally applicable to units of the 

2 National Park System. 

Æ 


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