STEPHEN F. LYNCH: Why no memorial for John Adams in D.C.?

I am extremely proud to represent the City of Quincy, the “City of Presidents,” in the U.S. House of Representatives. I also fully appreciate the importance of President John Adams’ contributions to the founding of our country and the formation of our national ideals.

I agree, the fact that there is no memorial in Washington dedicated to this remarkable leader and steadfast public servant is a glaring oversight that must be corrected.

Since Quincy became a part of my congressional district, I have strongly advocated for this worthy memorial. In 2014, legislation that I introduced, H.R. 3802, passed the House extending the legislative authority of the Adams Memorial Foundation until December 2, 2020. My bill language was later included in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3979, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2015, which became law on Dec. 19, 2014. The reauthorization until 2020 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 John Adams and his family and their role in shaping the nation.

My office continues to work closely with the Adams family to pursue other avenues to move the memorial forward. We are currently working on a bipartisan bill to establish an Adams Memorial Presidential Commission. The commission will include presidential appointees and members of Congress who will formulate a plan for a permanent memorial in Washington to John Adams and the Adams family’s legacy. In addition to regular reporting to ensure action on the memorial, the commission will provide some funding to assist with the effort. The Adams Memorial Presidential Commission will be an important way to reinvigorate the effort to establish this long overdue memorial. I look forward to introducing the legislation in the coming weeks.

I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that President John Adams and his family are rightfully honored in our nation’s capital.

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