H.R. 1738 (119th)Bill Overview

To designate the area of Sumner Row between 16th Street Northwest and L Street Northwest in Washington, District of Columbia, as "Alexei Navalny Way".

Government Operations and Politics|Congressional tributesDistrict of Columbia
Cosponsors
Support
Bipartisan
Introduced
Feb 27, 2025
Discussions
Bill Text
Current stageCommittee

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Introduced
Committee
Floor
President
Law
Congressional Activities
01 · The brief
Plain-English summaryWhat this bill actually does

The bill designates the portion of Sumner Row NW between 16th Street NW and L Street NW in Washington, D.C., as "Alexei Navalny Way." It includes findings condemning the Putin administration's repression and noting Navalny's activism and death. The bill requires the District of Columbia to install two street signs reading "Alexei Navalny Way," placed at specified locations and styled similar to Metro signage.

Why people may split

Liberal emphasizes human-rights symbolism and solidarity.

Watch point

Very narrow, symbolic measure typically easy to advance in the House; some members may object on diplomatic grounds.

The bill designates the portion of Sumner Row NW between 16th Street NW and L Street NW in Washington, D.C., as "Alexei Navalny Way." It includes findings condemning the Putin administration's repression and noting Navalny's activism and death.

The bill requires the District of Columbia to install two street signs reading "Alexei Navalny Way," placed at specified locations and styled similar to Metro signage.

Any references to that area in federal materials would be deemed to refer to the new name.

Passage40/100

Substantively minor and symbolic bills often clear Congress, but foreign-policy symbolism and need for bicameral agreement and enactment lower certainty.

CredibilityPartial

How solid the drafting looks.

Contention30/100

Liberal emphasizes human-rights symbolism and solidarity.

02 · What it does

Who stands to gain, and who may push back.

Likely benefits vs burdens50% / 50%
Likely helpedStates · Local governments

These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.

Likely helped
  • Potential benefitPublicly honors a dissident and signals U.S. support for democratic activists in Russia.
  • Potential benefitServes as a symbolic condemnation of alleged abuses by the Russian government.
  • Potential benefitMay raise public awareness of human rights and anti-corruption issues internationally.
Likely burdened
  • StatesCould increase diplomatic tensions between the United States and the Russian Federation.
  • Potential burdenMay raise security or protest risks near the Russian Ambassador’s residence and embassy-related areas.
  • Local governmentsRepresents federal intervention in a local D.C. naming decision, affecting local authority.
03 · Why people split

Why the argument around this bill splits.

Liberal emphasizes human-rights symbolism and solidarity.
Progressive90%

Likely broadly supportive as a symbolic stand for human rights and democracy, honoring a dissident who exposed corruption.

Views the renaming as a low-cost, visible expression of solidarity with Russian civil society and condemnation of repression.

Leans supportive
Centrist70%

Generally favorable but pragmatic; views the measure as a modest, symbolic statement aligned with U.S. values.

Concerned about procedural issues, local consent, and any unintended diplomatic consequences, so prefers careful coordination.

Leans supportive
Conservative60%

Mixed but leaning supportive insofar as it criticizes Putin and honors an anti-regime dissident.

Some conservatives will object to federal direction of local signage or unnecessary provocation of Russia.

Split reaction
04 · Can it pass?

The path through Congress.

Introduced

Reached or meaningfully advanced

Committee

Reached or meaningfully advanced

Floor

Still ahead

President

Still ahead

Law

Still ahead

Passage likelihood40/100

Substantively minor and symbolic bills often clear Congress, but foreign-policy symbolism and need for bicameral agreement and enactment lower certainty.

Scope and complexity
24%
Scopenarrow
24%
Complexitylow
Why this could stall
  • Potential Senate procedural holds or extended debate
  • Any objections from diplomatic or executive-branch stakeholders
05 · Recent votes

Recent votes on the bill.

No vote history yet

The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.

06 · Go deeper

Go deeper than the headline read.

Included on this page

Liberal emphasizes human-rights symbolism and solidarity.

Substantively minor and symbolic bills often clear Congress, but foreign-policy symbolism and need for bicameral agreement and enactment lo…

Unlocked analysis

Pro readers get the full perspective split, passage barriers, legislative design review, stakeholder impact map, and lens-based policy tradeoff analysis for To designate the area of Sumner Row between 16th Street Northw…

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