To authorize the Government of India to establish a memorial to honor Mahatma Gandhi in the District of Columbia.
Latest Action
Became Public Law No: 105-284.
Official Summary
Authorizes the Government of India to establish a memorial to honor Mahatma Gandhi, in accordance with the Commemorative Works Act, on Federal land in the District of Columbia. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior or any other Federal agency head to enter into cooperative agreements with the Government of India to maintain features associated with the memorial, but without any expense by the U.S. Government.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™This bill authorizes the Government of India to establish a memorial honoring Mahatma Gandhi on federal land in the District of Columbia, pursuant to the Commemorative Works Act. It permits the Secretary of the Interior or other federal agency heads to enter into cooperative agreements with the Government of India for the maintenance of the memorial's features, explicitly stating that such maintenance will not incur expenses for the U.S. government. The bill was enacted into law as Public Law 105-284 on October 26, 1998.
The law enables India to create and maintain a Mahatma Gandhi memorial on federal land in Washington, D.C., with maintenance costs borne by India, not the U.S. government.
- Authorizes the Government of India to establish a Mahatma Gandhi memorial in the District of Columbia on federal land.
- Allows the Secretary of the Interior or other federal agency heads to enter cooperative agreements with India for memorial maintenance.
- Specifies that the U.S. government will not bear any expenses related to the memorial's maintenance.
['Government of India', 'U.S. Department of the Interior', 'Visitors to the District of Columbia interested in commemorations', 'Organizations and individuals promoting cultural and historical memorials']
['Ensuring clear oversight and accountability in cooperative agreements for maintenance without U.S. government funding.', 'Potential administrative responsibilities for federal agencies in managing cooperative agreements.', 'Compliance with the Commemorative Works Act and related federal regulations.']
The bill was introduced and passed during the 105th Congress and was signed into law in 1998. It reflects a legislative action to permit a foreign government to establish a commemorative work on federal land, consistent with existing federal statutes governing memorials in the District of Columbia.
Hidden impact flags detected: 2
GovScope reviewed 2 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.
['Potential increase in cultural and diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and India through the memorial.', 'Possible precedent for future foreign government commemorative works on federal land under similar terms.', 'Enhanced public awareness and educational opportunities related to Mahatma Gandhi and his legacy.']
The bill establishes a framework for a foreign government to operate a memorial on U.S. federal land with cooperative agreements for maintenance that exclude U.S. government funding. Oversight mechanisms for these agreements and compliance with the Commemorative Works Act are key transparency considerations. The absence of federal funding reduces direct fiscal impact but requires clear administrative procedures to ensure accountability.
GovScope Intelligence Roadmap
Future bill intelligence will connect sponsors, committee referrals, related votes, campaign finance, disclosures, and stock trades into one legislative intelligence view.