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HR 8613

To providing access to certain memorials on Federal property during Government shutdown, and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced by Julie Fedorchak and 1 co-sponsor

The bill guarantees public access to non-federally funded memorials on federal property during a government shutdown, with staff retained for emergencies.

Introduced in House
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 8613

Summary of H.R. 8613 (118th/119th Congress as introduced)

Note: This summary reflects the bill as introduced on April 30, 2026, by Rep. Maggie Goodlander with Rep. Julie Fedorchak as a co-sponsor. It has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The bill text provided is limited to a short statutory provision and does not include additional sections.

1) Main purpose and intent

  • The bill aims to ensure access to certain memorials on federal property during a government funding lapse (government shutdown).
  • Specifically, it seeks to guarantee that memorials that are:
    • not funded by the federal government, and
    • generally accessible to the public via a federal facility or other federal property,

remain accessible to the public even when an agency is operating under a lapse in appropriations.

In essence, the bill attempts to preserve public access to memorial sites during funding gaps, addressing scenarios where shutdowns might otherwise restrict entry to federally managed memorials.

2) Key provisions and changes

  • Provision (a) General Rule:
    • During any lapse in appropriations to a federal agency, the agency must provide access to:
    • memorials that are not federally funded, and
    • those that are generally accessible to the public through a federal facility or other federal property of the agency when the agency is not under a funding lapse.
  • Provision (b) Excluded/Additional Safety Consideration:
    • Federal employees whose duties relate to providing access to these memorials are exempted from furlough for purposes of responding to emergencies involving safety of human life or protection of property, under the framework of section 1342 of title 31, U.S. Code.

Key idea: The bill creates a carve-out to keep memorial access operational during shutdowns and ensures staff assigned to facilitating that access can be retained for emergencies.

3) Persons, entities, or activities affected

  • Federal agencies that maintain public memorials not funded by federal appropriations and that are accessible via federal facilities or property.
  • Visitors and the general public seeking access to these memorials during government funding gaps.
  • Federal employees responsible for public access to memorials, who would be exempt from furlough in the context of maintaining access and emergency-related duties.

4) Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Trigger: A lapse or shutdown in federal appropriations (i.e., a government shutdown scenario).
  • Effect: Requires ongoing access to specified memorials despite funding gaps.
  • Implementation timing: Not specified beyond “during any lapse in appropriations” in the text; assumes readiness to operate access-related functions during a shutdown.
  • Oversight: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform; no further legislative action details are provided in the text presented.

5) Additional notes

  • The bill’s scope is limited to memorials not funded by federal dollars and that maintain public accessibility via federal property.
  • There is no explicit funding mechanism or detailed operational plan for how access will be maintained (e.g., staffing levels, security, or long-term protocols) within the text provided.
  • The text references 31 U.S.C. § 1342 for emergency services exemptions, aligning access duties with emergency service rules during a shutdown.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill to existing law on memorial access during shutdowns or draft a one-page fact sheet for policymakers or constituents.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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