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Commemorative Works Act (CWA)
Section 8905 of the CWA requires NCPC and the Commission of Fine Arts to review and approve the site and design for a commemorative work located on land under the jurisdiction of either the National Park Service or the General Services Administration in Washington, DC or its environs.
Section 8905 also creates the National Capital Memorial Advisory Committee (NCMAC) to advise the Secretary of Interior, the Administrator of GSA, Congress, and commemorative work sponsors on topics relating to commemoration. Consultation with NCMAC is the first step in the commemorative works review process since NCMAC must, among others, advise on the location of a commemorative work on the Mall. For purposes of the CWA, the Mall is the land area running between the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and the White House to the Jefferson Memorial.
Commemorative works on land owned by the Department of Defense or other federal agencies are outside the purview of the CWA, but require review as a federal project pursuant to the requirements of the National Capital Planning Act unless authorized by special legislation.
Occasionally, Congress passes special legislation authorizing a particular commemorative work or museum such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The special legislation may render the museum or commemorative work subject to NCPC review in accordance with the requirements of the CWA or prescribe a separate review procedure NCPC must follow.
