Paine memorial moves forward

President Biden on Dec. 27 signed a congressional bill to endorse a monument dedicated to the life and work of Founding Father Thomas Paine.

Under the leadership of Rep. Jamie Raskin and Rep. Victoria Spartz, House Bill 6720 was included in the 2022 Omnibus Package. The package was passed by both the House and Senate in late December.

The Thomas Paine Memorial Association will now begin working with the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission (NCMAC) on advancing the project with a goal of unveiling the monument in 2026, which would coincide with the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

TPMA seeks to memorialize Thomas Paine in a way befitting his central role in the founding of the United States of America, as well as his worldwide call for liberty, justice and equality.

FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor, secretary of TPMA, said, “Were Thomas Paine alive today, he would surely be saying ‘These are the times that try men’s and women’s souls.’ Thomas Paine’s pro-liberty, democratic vision is the antidote for our fractured nation.”