1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov July 8, 2020Monuments and Memorials: Federal Criminal Law ProtectionsOn June 26, 2020, President Trump issued an “Executive Order on Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and Combating Recent Criminal Violence” (June 26 Order). Among other things, the
2、June 26 Order directed the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to prioritize prosecutions under existing federal statutes protecting monuments, memorials, and statues. On July 3, 2020, President Trump issued an “Executive Order on Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes” (July 3 Order). Th
3、e July 3 Order decried vandalizing or destroying national monuments and created an Interagency Task Force for Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes (Task Force). The July 3 Order also assigned the Task Force to “establish a statuary park named the National Garden of American Heroes (N
4、ational Garden).” This In Focus analyzes two federal criminal statutes that may protect monuments and memorials from removal or intentional damage, potentially including future monuments in the National Garden. Congressional Power to Enact Federal Criminal Laws Criminal law enforcement is an area wh