Pay Our Troops Act of 2026

House Bill

H.R. 5401

119th Congress

Pay Our Troops Act of 2026

In Committee

Introduced:Sep 16, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Steny H. Hoyer

Representative

Democratic

MD-5

Cosponsors

41

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary

This bill would provide a one-time grant to the nonprofit that operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. The grant would be used to help cover the costs of operating, securing, and maintaining the memorial and museum. In exchange, the nonprofit would have to offer free admission to active and retired military members, 9/11 first responders, and victims' families, as well as regular free admission hours for the general public.

Latest Action

Received in the Senate.

SponsorSteny H. Hoyer (D-MD)

Introduced9/16/2025

StatusReferred to the House Committee on Appropriations.

ChamberHouse

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

Pay Our Troops Act of 2026

This bill would provide a one-time grant to the nonprofit that operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. The grant would be used to help cover the costs of operating, securing, and maintaining the memorial and museum. In exchange,

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

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0 predictions

This bill would provide a one-time grant to the nonprofit that operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. The grant would be used to help cover the costs of operating, securing, and maintaining the memorial and museum. In exchange, the nonprofit would have to offer free admission to active and retired military members, 9/11 first responders, and victims' families, as well as regular free admission hours for the general public.

Bill Number: 5401
Sponsor: Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD)
Introduced: 9/16/2025
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.
Policy Area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Pay Our Troops Act of 2026
Bill Number: 5401
Sponsor: Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD)
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.
Introduced: 9/16/2025
Summary: This bill would provide a one-time grant to the nonprofit that operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. The grant would be used to help cover the costs of operating, securing, and maintaining the memorial and museum. In exchange, the nonprofit would have to offer free a

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would provide a one-time grant to the nonprofit that operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. The grant would be used to help cover the costs of operating, securing, and maintaining the memorial and museum. In exchange, the nonprofit would have to offer free admission to active and retired military members, 9/11 first responders, and victims' families, as well as regular free admission hours for the general public.

Last updated: 12/29/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

9/11 Memorial and Museum ActThis bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to award to the nonprofit organization that operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City a one-time grant to be used solely for the purposes of the operation, security, and maintenance of the memorial and museum.As a condition of receiving the grant, the organization must<ul><li>provide for free admission to all facilities and museums associated with the memorial and museum for active and retired members of the Armed Forces, individuals who were registered first responders to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and family members of victims of such attacks;</li><li>provide for dedicated free admission hours for the general public at least once a week; and</li><li>allow for annual federal audits of its financial statements.</li></ul>

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Provides a one-time grant to the nonprofit that runs the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City
Grant must be used solely for operating, securing, and maintaining the memorial and museum
Requires the nonprofit to offer free admission to certain groups, including active/retired military, 9/11 first responders, and victims' families
Also requires the nonprofit to have dedicated free admission hours for the general public at least once a week
Mandates annual federal audits of the nonprofit's financial statements

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

If this bill becomes law, it would benefit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum by providing additional funding to help cover its operating costs. It would also make the memorial and museum more accessible to certain groups, including military members, first responders, and victims' families, as well as the general public through the required free admission hours. Overall, this bill aims to support the ongoing preservation and accessibility of this important national memorial.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Related Subjects

Accounting and auditing

Congressional oversight

Crime victims

Department of Defense

First responders and emergency personnel

Government buildings, facilities, and property

Military personnel and dependents

Monuments and memorials

Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers

New York City

+4 more

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

5401, 119th Congress (2025). "Pay Our Troops Act of 2026". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-5401

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