The Route 66 Centennial Commission Act bill advanced Wednesday out of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works and will head to the full Senate floor.
The bill, introduced as S1014 by Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) on April 3, was given a letter of support by the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership.
According to a news release Thursday from the partnership:
Because the bill is noncontroversial, Duckworth’s office is hopeful it will be “hotlined” on the Senate floor for approval by unanimous consent and not require a formal vote.
If that happens, the next step will be for the House to take up the bill, or the House and Senate will negotiate an agreement and repass the conference report in both bodies of Congress. The final step will be enactment by the president. […]
Though Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985, the road continues to be a popular tourist destination for both domestic and international travelers. Enacting the Route 66 Centennial Commission will help plan an important celebration for the Mother Road and help with the preservation, promotion, education, and economic development of the road for generations to come.
Such a commission would contain 15 members appointed by the president on the recommendation by the Secretary of Transportation, House Speaker, Senate Majority Leader and the governors from the eight states that Route 66 traverses.
For Route 66’s centennial in 2026, the commission would have to:
— Plan, develop a list and carry out such activities as the commission determines to be appropriate to honor Route 66 for its centennial;
— Provide advice and assistance to federal, state and local agencies and civic groups in carrying out activities to honor Route 66 on its centennial;
— Recommend activities that may be carried out by the federal government to honor Route 66 on its centennial;
— Submit reports and recommend activities such as producing books, pamphlets, films, electronic publications and other educational materials focusing on the history and impact of Route 66; bibliographical and documentary projects, publications and electronic resources; conferences, convocations, lectures, seminars and other programs; develop programs for libraries, museums, parks and historic sites; ceremonies and celebrations commemorating events; produce artistic works, programs and activities focusing on the significance of Route 66; and issue commemorative coins, medals, certificates of recognition and postage stamps.
The partnership also supports a bill that would designate Route 66 as a national historic trail, but the anticipated measure has not been introduced to Congress so far.
National-trail and centennial bills were introduced during the previous congressional session, but the government shutdown in December ultimately proved fatal for the measures’ chances for passage.
In the meantime, state legislatures in Illinois, Missouri and Oklahoma passed their own laws to set up Route 66 centennial initiatives.
(Image of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington by Phil Roeder via Flickr)