HR 250: To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to procure a statue of Benjamin Franklin for placement in the Capitol.

HR 250 in plain English: This bill directs the Joint Committee on the Library to commission and install a statue of Benjamin Franklin in the U.S. Capitol in a permanent, publicly accessible location. The contract for the statue must be signed by December 31, 2025, and the statue must be in place by December 31, 2026.

Stated purpose

This bill directs the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a statue of Benjamin Franklin and place it in a permanent, publicly accessible location in the United States Capitol by the end of 2026.

Key points

• Requires the Joint Committee on the Library to commission a statue of Benjamin Franklin for the Capitol.
• Statue must be placed in a permanent public location accessible during Capitol Visitor Center guided tours.
• Contract must be executed by December 31, 2025, and statue installed by December 31, 2026.

Arguments supporters make

• Benjamin Franklin was a founding father, inventor, diplomat, and author of enduring importance to American history, and a Capitol statue would honor that legacy for all visitors.
• The Capitol's collection of statues represents American history, and adding Franklin would fill a notable gap given his outsized role in the nation's founding.
• The bill sets clear deadlines and leaves contract terms to the Joint Committee, keeping the process straightforward and manageable.

Arguments opponents make

• Congress has limited time and resources, and directing those toward a commemorative statue may be seen as a low priority compared to pressing national issues.
• Taxpayer money would fund the procurement and installation, and critics may question whether public funds should pay for new monuments when many existing needs go unmet.
• Decisions about Capitol artwork are typically managed through existing processes; some may argue a standalone bill for a single statue sets an inefficient precedent for how such additions are made.

Tradeoffs

Adding a statue of a widely respected historical figure uses public funds and congressional attention that could be directed elsewhere; the benefit is a lasting public commemoration, while the cost is the financial and administrative resources required to execute it.

Current status in Congress: Passed House.

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