It has been another outstanding week for sharing our Arlington House history. But at the same moment, the 118th Congress has reached Crunch Time for the legislation that will redesignate Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial as Arlington House National Historic Site. 

We expect H.J. Res. 76 to be offered as an amendment to the Armed Services Committee's appropriation bill this week. Yeah, I know. Why is National Park Service legislation in the Armed Service Committee? The Clerk of the House placed it there because of the site's physical location inside of Arlington National Cemetery. This is the challenging path we are walking.

Six more cosponsors have been added to the bill as of May 17th bringing the total to 114. That is more than 25% of the House members. Thanks to Reps Khanna (CA), Pappas (NH), Espaillat (NY), Rep. Jeff Jackson (NC), Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA) and Haley Stevens (MI) for adding their support as cosponsors. We are working hard to show this legislation is bipartisan, as it should be! We are in conversations with Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), Don Bacon (NE) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) to seek their support. If these are your representatives or you know someone in their district, I strongly encourage you to send them a short note to seek their co-sponsorship on this legislation.

The descendants' online petition reached 4,200 signatures last night. Your help to get to 5,000 and then 50,000 is much appreciated. Help us show our elected officials this history is our collective history and we want it shared and interpreted wholistically. Just this last week I must have spoken to 3-400 8th graders who were visiting DC as part of their year of US history study. Help us work with Congress right now to share our Nation's history.

We can do this!