The Reconciliation in Place Names Act creates a formal process to identify and rename U.S. geographic features and federal lands with names that contain racial or sexual slurs, honor individuals with racist views or who committed atrocities against Native Americans, or perpetuate racial stereotypes. The bill establishes a 17-member Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names, to be appointed within 180 days, composed of Native American tribal members, civil rights experts, scholars, and members of the public, who will solicit proposals from tribes, state and local governments, and the public for renaming offensive places. The Committee will make recommendations to the Board on Geographic Names (for geographic features) and to Congress (for federal land units) within five years, and the Board must approve or reject each proposal within three years unless there is a compelling reason or legal conflict to do otherwise. The legislation provides no specific funding amount but authorizes travel expenses for committee members and staff support from the Department of the Interior. This bill aims to address what sponsors view as a widespread problem of place names that perpetuate historical injustices and disparage racial minorities.
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