S-2933-119
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Sponsored by James Justice (R-WV)
What it does
This bill would officially rename the primary playground in the Grandview area of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia as the "Hearts of Gold Playground: In Honor of West Virginia Children and Families Impacted by Childhood Cancer." It would require all federal laws, maps, regulations, and official documents to use the new name when referring to that playground.
Who benefits
West Virginia families who have been affected by childhood cancer, who would receive a public, permanent acknowledgment of their experiences. Childhood cancer advocacy organizations in West Virginia that may gain visibility from the designation. Visitors to New River Gorge National Park who would encounter the commemorative name. The broader childhood cancer awareness community nationally.
Who is hurt
The National Park Service would bear minor administrative costs to update signage, maps, and official documents to reflect the new name. Existing printed materials referencing the old name would become outdated. There are no significant groups materially harmed by this bill.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that renaming the playground provides meaningful, lasting recognition to West Virginia families who have endured the hardship of childhood cancer diagnoses, at essentially no cost to taxpayers. They contend that public commemorations in national parks serve an important civic function — connecting visitors to the human stories of their communities — and that this designation raises awareness of childhood cancer, which affects approximately 15,000 American children annually according to the American Cancer Society.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that while the cause is sympathetic, Congress routinely uses commemorative naming bills to generate goodwill with minimal legislative effort, consuming floor time and committee resources that could be directed toward substantive policy. They contend that decisions about naming features within national parks are more appropriately made by the National Park Service through its existing administrative processes, rather than by statute, to preserve consistent management of the park system.