Chesco Lawmaker Introduces Ben Franklin Statue Replacement Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Reps. Chrissy Houlahan and Brian Fitzpatrick Thursday introduced the Benjamin Franklin Statue Placement Act to recognize Benjamin Franklin’s immeasurable impact on our nation.

The act calls for placing Franklin’s statute on the U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center Tour route before 2026, which coincides with the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.

Houlahan, a Chester County Democrat, and Fitzpatrick, a Bucks County Republican, are joined by an evenly bipartisan group of 22 of their colleagues in support of the bill.

“As a Pennsylvanian, I am proud of our Commonwealth's history and how pivotal it was and still is in shaping our nation's history," said Houlahan, who represented the Sixth District. "Bringing a statue of Benjamin Franklin, a prominent Pennsylvanian and important founding father, to the U.S. Capitol will help to reflect this legacy.”

Fitzpatrick, who represented the First District, said Benjamin Franklin is a figure of paramount importance to the history of Philadelphia and this nation.

History

While Benjamin Franklin was born in Massachusetts, his roots in Pennsylvania and his impact on its founding are undeniable. He was instrumental in founding and shaping what became the University of Pennsylvania.

He bought and published the Pennsylvania Gazette at age 23 and served as President of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council, the present-day equivalent of the governor, from 1785 to 1788.

Franklin negotiated the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War , and helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Franklin was the only founding father to sign all three of these documents, which formally separated America from Britain. He also served as the first Postmaster General of the United States, appointed in 1775.

Learn more about Franklin here.