Bill
HR 841
Recognizes Charles Black for civil rights, education, and community service; authorizes sending him an official copy of the resolution (honorary recognition with no legal effect).
Status and classification
- Bill number / resolution: H.R. 841 / House Resolution 841
- Classification: Honorary resolution (state-level text included)
- Introduced: January 31, 2025
- Key procedural actions: Referred to House Committee on Natural Resources (1/31/2025); placed on Congratulatory & Memorial Resolutions Calendar (5/23/2025); laid before the House and adopted (5/23/2025). Reported enrolled (5/23/2025). Listed as “House Read and Adopted” (3/27/2025).
- Sponsors (as listed): Jodey C. Arrington; El-Mahdi Holly; Bryce Berry; Inga Willis; Mekyah McQueen; Eric Bell (listed as primary sponsors)
Note on source material
- The circulating version contains two distinct texts combined in one document: (A) an honorary resolution recognizing Charles Black (text labeled “House Resolution 841” / LC 112 3530), and (B) brief statutory amendment language purporting to amend sections of Title 54, U.S. Code (related to state financial assistance and use of appropriations). These appear to be unrelated items merged in the same filing. Readers should consult the official congressional and applicable state legislative records for authoritative text and status.
Main purpose and intent
- Primary purpose (honorary resolution): To recognize and commend Charles Black for his contributions to civil rights, education, the arts, and community service, and to authorize distribution of an official copy of the resolution to him.
- Secondary (embedded statutory language): To prohibit states receiving certain federal assistance under Title 54 from using those funds to acquire land, water, or interests in land or water from private landowners, and to add an appropriations restriction in section 200306(b) stating that Fund appropriations may not be used for acquisition from a private landowner.
Key provisions — Honorary resolution (Charles Black)
- Recitals list Charles Black’s biography and accomplishments: native of Miami; Morehouse College alumnus (varsity debate, newspaper editor, senior class president); co-author and signer of the Appeal for Human Rights; student of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; leadership roles (Leadership Atlanta alumnus, chairman of multiple nonprofit boards, past chairman of Hammonds House Museum, past editor of The Atlanta Inquirer, past CEO/co‑founder of Frontiers Unlimited Inc. with John Lewis, Julian Bond, Lonnie King Jr.); advisor/manager of political campaigns and mentor; actor with faith‑based films used in thousands of churches; recipient of Presidential Medal of Honor (as stated in text, awarded by President Barack Obama).
- Formal action: The House recognizes and commends Charles Black for his contributions and directs the Clerk to provide an appropriate copy of the resolution to him. This is an honorary commendation with no legal or regulatory effect.
Key provisions — Embedded Title 54 amendments (statutory)
- Adds a subsection to 54 U.S.C. §200305: a State receiving financial assistance under that section “may not use such financial assistance for the acquisition of land, water, or an interest in land or water from a private landowner.”
- Amends 54 U.S.C. §200306(b) to insert: “Appropriations from the Fund may not be used for acquisition from a private landowner.”
- Likely program affected: the State Assistance components of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) or similar federal/state grants administered under Title 54. (The exact program should be confirmed by consulting the cited code sections.)
Who would be affected
- Honorary resolution: Charles Black, the communities he served, and organizations cited — symbolic recognition only.
- Statutory language: State agencies that receive federal assistance under the cited Title 54 sections, the federal agency administering the program (generally National Park Service/LWCF programs), and private landowners who might otherwise sell land or interests to states using those funds. The change would restrict the use of specified federal funds for direct acquisitions from private landowners, potentially affecting conservation acquisitions, park expansions, and public-access projects funded through the program.
Procedural / timeline aspects and impact
- The resolution text was adopted (listed as “Adopted” and “Reported enrolled” on 5/23/2025). As an honorary resolution, no further legal action is needed.
- The statutory amendment language would require separate legislative enactment (passage by Congress and signature by the President) to alter federal law; the document as filed appears to combine unrelated items and does not by itself enact the statutory change. If enacted, the Title 54 changes would alter allowable uses of certain federal assistance and could limit states’ ability to buy private land or interests with those funds.
Recommendation
- Because the submission contains both an honorary state-style resolution and draft federal statutory amendments, verify the authoritative source: consult the official Congressional Record / House Clerk and the Georgia House journal (if this is a Georgia state resolution) to determine which text is operative and to confirm sponsors, exact language, and final status.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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