WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3802, which extends the legislative authority of the Adams Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in honor of former President John Adams and his legacy. The bill extends the authorization for seven years through December 2, 2020. It allows the Adams Memorial Foundation, the National Park Service, the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission and all stakeholders to continue working toward the goal of siting and building a commemorative memorial honoring former President John Adams and his family and their role in shaping the nation.

Congressman Lynch said, “I am proud to represent the City of Quincy, nicknamed the ‘City of Presidents,’ in the House of Representatives. Quincy is home to the Adams National Historic Park, which honors the legacy of John Adams and the five generations of the Adams family who lived there until 1927. John Adams was a champion of independence, defender of due process, diplomat, Vice President, and President of the United States. John Adams has a lasting legacy as one of our most influential founding fathers. He is the author of the Massachusetts Constitution, the oldest continuously functioning written Constitution in the world and the document after which the United States Constitution was modeled. John Adams was a dedicated public servant who devoted his life to the ideals and values that built our country and which many of us continue to hold dear.”

Lynch continued, “The fact that there is no memorial in our nation’s capital dedicated to this remarkable leader and steadfast public servant is a glaring oversight that must be corrected. The passage of this bill allows the foundation the time it needs to find an appropriate location in Washington, D.C. for this worthy memorial.”

The bill was originally introduced in the House of Representatives by former Congressman William Delahunt. The last authorization extension expired on December 2, 2013. The Adams Memorial Foundation includes members of the Adams family and respected historians in its leadership.

In addition to Congressman Lynch, all 8 Members of the Massachusetts House Delegation are original cosponsors of the bill. A companion bill in the United States Senate has been introduced by Senator Ed Markey and cosponsored by Senator Elizabeth Warren.