New Act Permanently Protects Names of Eight Naval Vessels Honoring Figures like Ginsburg and Milk

The aptly named Preserving Great Americans’ Legacies Act of 2025 is a short, straightforward piece of legislation that essentially locks in the names of eight specific U.S. Navy vessels, ensuring they can never be changed.

The Permanent Honor Roll

This bill cuts through any bureaucratic red tape that might allow for future name changes. It mandates that if a naval vessel currently honors one of the eight specific individuals listed in Section 2, the Secretary of the Navy is absolutely prohibited from changing that name. This overrides the usual authority the Navy has to rename ships. Think of it as a permanent, federal-level preservation order for these specific ship names.

Who are the eight individuals whose legacies are being permanently cemented on the hulls of Navy ships? It’s a list of major figures in American civil rights and public service: Cesar Chavez, Medgar Evers, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Dolores Huerta, Thurgood Marshall, Harvey Milk, Lucy Stone, and Harriet Tubman. This provision takes effect immediately upon the bill becoming law.

What This Means for the Navy's Discretion

For the average person, this bill doesn't change much about their day-to-day life, but it’s a significant move in how the federal government chooses to honor historical figures. Typically, the Secretary of the Navy has some discretion over ship names, often guided by tradition but ultimately holding the power to make changes. This Act specifically removes that discretion for these eight vessels.

In practical terms, this means that even if a future administration decided they wanted to repurpose the name of a ship honoring, say, Thurgood Marshall, they couldn't. This law makes those names untouchable by the current rules governing naval vessel naming (specifically section 8662(b) of title 10, U.S. Code). It’s a legislative shield ensuring these eight pioneers remain permanently recognized by the fleet.

The Real-World Impact: Certainty and Recognition

The benefit here is pure recognition and certainty. For the families, supporters, and advocates of these eight figures—who represent labor rights, civil rights, judicial equality, and LGBTQ+ rights—this bill guarantees that their place in the Navy’s history is secure. It removes the possibility that political shifts or administrative decisions could wipe away these honors.

While the bill is simple and clear, it does set a precedent. By legislating the permanent protection of a specific, limited list of ship names, it restricts the administrative flexibility of the Navy. However, since the list is so narrow and specific—only eight names—the impact on the Navy's overall naming process is minimal. It’s simply a focused effort to ensure that the legacies of these particular great Americans are preserved without question.