By Margaret Downey, President of the Thomas Paine Memorial Association
The Thomas Paine Memorial Association (TPMA) is pleased to announce that an important Congressional procedure has resulted in the advancement of House Bill 6720.
Every proposed Washington, D.C. monument and museum must be presented to the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission (NCMAC) for consideration. The members of the Commission vote on whether or not the proposal has merit and is deserving of their endorsement. TPMA spokespersons conducted a presentation to NCMAC on July 27, 2022. The below link will take you to a recording of the actual hearing, discussion and vote.
Spoiler alert! The NCMAC Commissioners unanimously voted to endorse and support a memorial project dedicated to the life and work of Thomas Paine! Don’t let this momentous news keep you from enjoying the film, however.
In the film you’ll see presentations from (in order of appearance) Congressman Jamie Raskin, Mark Dann, myself, Gene Jones, Karen Heineman, Mandisa Thomas, and Charis Hoard. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the variety of viewpoints and gain an appreciation of why we’re working so hard to finally have Thomas Paine recognized for his important work. It was a joy to also hear the compliments and additions made by each of the Commissioners.
If this news and/or film inspire you to extend your support of House Bill 6720, please know that TPMA is in need of help reaching State Representatives to request that they become a sponsor. Please visit the below link to see if your Representative is already a sponsor:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/6720/cosponsors?r=8&s=1
I would be happy to work with you on how to approach your Representative. Please feel free to contact us for more information. Also, please let us know if you have any interest in becoming a member of the House Bill 6720 presentation team. All volunteers are welcomed.