Constitution Index · H.R. 2196 · 2025-03-18
National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Extension Act
Latest official status (2026-09-11): Became Public Law No: 119-107.
Constitutional grade
A
Constitutional
This bill is a narrow, time-limited reauthorization of a memorial foundation for emergency medical services in Washington, DC. It involves no exercise of coercive federal power, no restriction on individual rights, and no consolidation of authority beyond the federal government's established role in managing the District of Columbia and maintaining national memorials. It passes all constitutional checks with no significant issues.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2 Amendment X
SI-generated grade · passed automated checks (real Constitution citation, language rules) · not individually reviewed by a person · methodology · Report an error: hello@valuesforamerica.com
The five checks
Enumerated powers · passes
The federal government has explicit authority to exercise exclusive legislation over the District of Columbia under Article I, Section 8, Clause 17. Establishing a memorial in Washington, DC falls squarely within this enumerated power. Additionally, the federal government has long-standing authority to manage public lands and maintain national memorials under the Property Clause (Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2). This bill does not exceed these powers.
Bill of Rights · passes
The bill imposes no restrictions on speech, religion, assembly, press, petition, arms, quartering, search and seizure, self-incrimination, due process, takings, trial rights, or cruel and unusual punishment. It merely authorizes a foundation to establish a monument. No provision of the Bill of Rights is implicated.
Individual liberty · passes
The bill does not restrict any individual's use of their person, property, speech, labor, or belief. It creates no mandates, prohibitions, or obligations on private citizens. The foundation's establishment is voluntary and does not burden individual sovereignty.
Decentralization · passes
The bill passes all four questions. (1) An individual or family could not establish a national memorial in Washington, DC on their own, as this requires federal authorization and management of federal land. (2) A local community or county could not handle this without federal involvement, as the memorial is to be located in the federal district. (3) A state could not handle this without federal involvement, as the location is under exclusive federal jurisdiction. (4) The action does not consolidate decision-making upward beyond the minimum necessary; the federal government is the only entity with authority over the District of Columbia. The Tenth Amendment is not violated because the subject matter—federal land and the District—is not reserved to the states.
Due process and takings · passes
The bill does not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, nor does it take private property for public use. It involves no adjudicative or administrative proceedings that could implicate procedural due process. There is no arbitrary government action; the bill is a straightforward authorization for a memorial.
Provenance
- Congress.gov: HR 2196 summary · fetched 2026-10-09 · official page ↗
Version history · never overwritten
| Grade | Graded | Rubric | Source hash | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · #674 | 2026-10-11 | vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0 | 3843907d9745 | current |
Cite this
Values for America. “Constitutional grade: H.R. 2196, National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Extension Act.” VFA Constitution Index, grade 674 (rubric vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0), graded October 11, 2026. https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/674. Accessed 2026-10-19.
Permalink: https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/674
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