The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 66, known as the Route 66 Centennial Commission Act, with wide bipartisan support Wednesday.
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), who sponsored the bill, made this statement after the House advanced the bill:
“Route 66 is a symbol of American independence and prosperity. I am proud to have America’s most iconic road run through the middle of my district and it’s important we celebrate its history. This bill will create a commission to honor the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026 and will create a plan to ensure the historic road is preserved for future generations.”
Davis’ full remarks on the House floor:
H.R. 66 has 13 co-sponsors from Oklahoma, Illinois, California, Arizona, Missouri, New Mexico and New Jersey. It goes on to the Senate.
Davis introduced the same bill during the last congressional session. It also found wide support, but it didn’t receive final U.S. Senate passage amid the 35-day government shutdown and former president George H.W. Bush’s funeral.
The bill would “direct the Secretary of Transportation to prepare a plan on the preservation needs of Route 66, and for other purposes.” The centennial of Route 66 will be in 2026.
The commission will consist of 19 members, including three appointed by the president; two from the Secretary of Transportation; one each by the governor of Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California; three more recommended by the U.S. House Speaker in consultation with the minority leader; and three more recommended by the Senate Majority Leader, with consultation from the minority leader.
Commission members, according to the bill, must have a demonstrated knowledge of “importance of historical figures and events; and substantial knowledge and appreciation of Route 66.” The full text is here.
A higher priority would be naming Route 66 a National Historic Trail under the auspices of the National Park Service. Like the Route 66 centennial bill, the Senate also failed to act on it before the legislative session ended in 2018. But a prominent Route 66 official recently told the Joplin Globe he was confident such a bill would be introduced and enacted into law later this year.
(U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis at the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Illinois, during his Illinois Route 66 tour in 2017)