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The House voted to pass H.R. 249, a bill to honor the late Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. by renaming facilities at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in New Jersey.
This vote was on H.R. 249, a bill that redesignates specific facilities at the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park to honor Bill Pascrell, Jr. Pascrell was a long-serving member of Congress from New Jersey who represented the district containing the park until his death in 2024. The vote followed a procedure known as "suspension of the rules." In the House, this is a fast-track method typically used for bills with broad support. It limits the time for debate and does not allow for changes (amendments) to the bill, but it requires a higher success threshold: two-thirds of those voting must agree instead of a simple majority. The bill passed with a large bipartisan majority, significantly exceeding the two-thirds requirement. While the Democratic caucus was unanimous in its support, a small group of Republicans voted against it. The bill now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
The bill moves to the Senate, where it must be reviewed and voted on before it can be sent to the President to be signed into law.
OPEN BILL →Why it matters. This bill provides official recognition for a long-serving representative within a National Historical Park he advocated for during his career.
Who’s affected. Residents of Paterson, NJ: Will see their local National Park facilities officially named after their late representative. · National Park Service: Responsible for updating signage and administrative records to reflect the new designations.
Democrats. The Democratic caucus voted unanimously to honor their former colleague.
Republicans. Most Republicans supported the bill, though a small group of 23 members voted against it, which occasionally occurs on commemorative or naming legislation.
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
May 13, 2025
The House voted to pass H.R.
249, a bill to honor the late Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. by renaming facilities at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in New Jersey.
This vote was held under a "suspension of the rules," which is a shortcut for passing bills that are generally non-controversial. To prevent the shortcut from being used for partisan goals, the House requires a two-thirds supermajority rather than a simple majority to pass anything this way.
The bill moves to the Senate, where it must be reviewed and voted on before it can be sent to the President to be signed into law.
This bill provides official recognition for a long-serving representative within a National Historical Park he advocated for during his career.
The bill passed with nearly all Democrats and the vast majority of Republicans voting in favor, though 23 Republicans opposed the measure.
The Democratic caucus voted unanimously to honor their former colleague.
Most Republicans supported the bill, though a small group of 23 members voted against it, which occasionally occurs on commemorative or naming legislation.
The chamber's only independent member voted in favor of the bill.