Newsletter: Circumventing the Will of Congress

Statement

Since coming to Washington, I remain committed to my top priorities of putting Ohioans first and ensuring their voices and opinions are heard in our nation's capital. The duty of Congress is to represent Americans to the best of its ability by instilling the laws of the land to reflect Americans' needs. When the legislative process is ignored, however, the foundation of our country becomes diminished. Time and again, the Executive Branch simply bypasses the will of Congress and the American people who elected its members. Renaming Mt. McKinley is only the latest example.

President William McKinley led our nation to victory in the Spanish-American War, promoted American industry, and fostered our growing economy. McKinley was a great leader and a great Ohioan who was assassinated half a year into his second term as President. The mountain was named in his honor to thank him for his service and sacrifice for our nation.

In 1917, Mt. McKinley was officially named for President McKinley by an act of Congress. Following that act, in 1947, Congress gave the Secretary of Interior the authority to conjointly name federal lands with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Board policy, adopted by the Secretary of Interior in 1981, specifically states they "will not render a decision on a name or its application if the matter is also being considered by the Congress of the United States." Currently, Congress is considering H.R. 437, which explicitly calls for the retention of the name Mt. McKinley. Consequently, the Secretary of the Interior lacks the authority to unilaterally change the name.

Some people may think that the renaming of the mountain is agreeable because McKinley was an Ohioan and not an Alaskan. However, take a look at the 14 mountains named after U.S. Presidents. Only one of the mountains -- Mt. Pierce -- is located in the home state of its namesake. It is not location that matters in this situation, it is the unilateral fiat taken by Secretarial Order that is disappointing and unacceptable.

The naming of our nation's highest peak -- which is on federal land -- falls under the jurisdiction of the House Natural Resources Committee. Therefore, I -- along with 12 other Ohio delegates -- sent a letter to the administration raising our concerns about this unilateral action. Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to restore Mt. McKinley as our country's highest peak. Read the letter here via my website.

If you need any additional information, please visit my website at renacci.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-3876, Wadsworth office: (330) 334-0040, or Parma office: (440) 882-6779. If you have a concern about your VA claim, please contact my Wadsworth office and I will inquire about your claim. I also encourage you to subscribe to my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube pages to get updates on my work in Washington and the 16th District.

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