CONGRESS APPROVES NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK LEGISLATION FOR AMERICA’S NATIONAL CHURCHILL MUSEUM

Act passes U.S. Senate by unanimous consent following remarks by Senator Josh Hawley and now heads to president’s desk

FULTON, Mo. – Sept. 30, 2026: America’s National Churchill Museum at Westminster College today celebrated congressional passage of the America’s National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark Act, an important step toward federal recognition of the historic site where Winston Churchill delivered his landmark “The Sinews of Peace” address in 1946.

The U.S. Senate approved the legislation previously passed by the House of Representatives by unanimous consent on the afternoon of Sept. 29 as part of a package of measures. U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri brought the legislation to the floor of the Senate and delivered remarks recognizing the significance of America’s National Churchill Museum, Westminster and Churchill’s historic address in Fulton.

Sen. Hawley emphasized the site’s significance and its role in inspiring future generations.

“Generations of Americans and people of goodwill everywhere will come to this site and learn about Churchill’s speech and perhaps more fundamentally learn about the principles of liberty, of conscience, and faith and moral virtue on which this nation and indeed the whole of the West were founded,” Hawley said.

The Senate’s action follows passage of H.R. 1945 by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.  Senator Hawley first introduced the legislation in 2024, and versions of the measure have since passed the Senate multiple times. Today’s congressional action marks a significant milestone: for the first time, the legislation will advance to the President’s desk.

“We are especially grateful to Senator Josh Hawley for his leadership in bringing this legislation before the Senate and for his generous remarks from the Senate floor today,” said President Donald P. Lofe, Jr., Westminster College President and Chief Transformation Officer. “We are also deeply grateful to Congressman Bob Onder for his leadership in the House and to all the members of Missouri’s congressional delegation, congressional staff, friends and supporters who have helped advance this effort.”

“This is an extraordinary moment for America’s National Churchill Museum, Westminster College, Fulton and the State of Missouri,” said Timothy Riley, Sandra L. and Monroe E. Trout Director and Chief Curator of America’s National Churchill Museum. “Eighty years after Winston Churchill came to Westminster College and delivered one of the most consequential speeches of the 20th century, Congress has recognized the national significance of this historic site — a place where history continues to happen and where Churchill’s legacy continues to inspire new generations.”

On March 5, 1946, at the invitation of Westminster College and with President Harry S Truman in attendance, Churchill delivered “The Sinews of Peace,” an address remembered for bringing the phrase “Iron Curtain” into widespread public use and helping define the emerging postwar international order.

Today the site includes America’s National Churchill Museum and Sir Christopher Wren’s Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, which was shipped from London to Fulton and reconstructed stone by stone as a memorial to Churchill. The site also includes the sculpture Breakthrough, composed of eight sections of the Berlin Wall created by Churchill’s granddaughter Edwina Sandys.

The bill recognizes the national historic significance of the site. The legislation does not transfer ownership or management of the Museum or St. Mary Aldermanbury to the federal government.

Congressional passage comes during the 80th anniversary year of Churchill’s address at Westminster and represents a milestone in the Museum’s longstanding effort to preserve and interpret the history and continuing significance of Churchill’s visit to the College.

America’s National Churchill Museum will provide additional information as the legislation proceeds through the remaining steps toward enactment.

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ABOUT WESTMINSTER COLLEGE: Founded in 1851 and home of Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech, Westminster College is ranked prestigiously by The Princeton Review as one of 151 “Best Colleges in the Midwest” for 2026 and is among a select group of full-participation institutions nationwide in the Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition, as recognized by the Higher Learning Commission. New graduates experience a more than 90% placement rate within six months of graduation, while Westminster alumni are in the top 16% nationwide for graduate earnings. The only National Liberal Arts college in Missouri, Westminster has long been recognized for its focus on educating and inspiring students to make an impact on the world around them. Find out more about Westminster College by visiting our website.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Sarah Backer at 573-220-9038 or Sarah.Backer@WCMO.edu.