S. 5603Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)Introduced

Protecting Presidential Memorials Act

A bill to prohibit the demolition of Presidential memorials.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 6, 2026 at 5:41 AM UTC

The Protecting Presidential Memorials Act would make it illegal to tear down any memorial that honors a U.S. President and has been created by an act of Congress. Such demolition could only occur if Congress passes a new law specifically allowing it. The bill applies to all existing and future presidential memorials designated by Congress.

Key Provisions

Defines “demolish” as the intentional razing, destroying, or wrecking of an entire building or a substantial part of it.
Prohibits the demolition of any presidential memorial designated by Congress unless a new act of Congress authorizes it.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 688.

September 30, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 29, 2026

SenateCalendars

Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

September 29, 2026

SenateCalendars

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 688.

September 30, 2026

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 5603 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Sep 30, 2026

Mr. President, I understand that there are two bills at the desk due for a second reading en bloc. Mr. President, in order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would…

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Sep 29, 2026

Madam President, I understand that there are two bills at the desk, and I ask for their first reading en bloc. I now ask for a second reading, and I object to my own request, all en bloc.

Bill Text

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Placed on Calendar SenateIssued September 30, 2026

Calendar No. 688

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5603

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 29, 2026

Mr. Merkley (for himself, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Van Hollen) introduced the following bill; which was read the first time

September 30, 2026

Read the second time and placed on the calendar

A BILL

To prohibit the demolition of Presidential memorials.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Protecting Presidential Memorials Act.

Prohibition of demolition of Presidential memorials

(a)

Definition of demolish

In this section, the term demolish means the intentional razing, destroying, or wrecking of an entire building or structure or a substantial portion of a building or structure.

(b)

Prohibition

A memorial to honor a President of the United States designated by an Act of Congress may not be demolished unless authorized by an Act of Congress.

September 30, 2026

Read the second time and placed on the calendar