S 215119th CongressIn Committee

Maintaining Academy Culture and Assuring Retention of Tradition, Honor, and Unity of the Republic Act (MACARTHUR) Act

Introduced: Jan 23, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill, introduced in the Senate as S. 215, would officially amend the mission statement of the United States Military Academy (USMA) to include the phrase “Duty, Honor, Country.” It also expresses, as a sense of Congress, that these principles should be deeply embedded in the Academy’s ethos and instilled in each cadet. The amendment would be implemented within 30 days after enactment, with the Secretary of the Army responsible for updating the USMA mission statement to reflect the phrase. The measure is largely administrative and symbolic, formalizing a long-recognized motto as part of the Academy’s official mission.

Key Points

1Short title: The bill is named the “Maintaining Academy Culture and Assuring Retention of Tradition, Honor, and Unity of the Republic Act (MACARTHUR) Act.”
2Sense of Congress: It states that the principles of “Duty, Honor, Country” should be deeply embedded in the USMA’s ethos and instilled in every cadet.
3Mission statement modification: Requires the Secretary of the Army to amend the United States Military Academy’s mission statement to include the phrase “Duty, Honor, Country.”
4Implementation timeline: The amendment must be completed not later than 30 days after enactment of the Act.
5Legislative status and scope: Introduced in the Senate with listed sponsors; the text does not provide funding, enforcement mechanisms, or broader implications beyond the mission statement update.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Cadets and leadership at the United States Military Academy, along with USMA faculty and staff, who would operate under the updated mission statement.Secondary group/area affected: U.S. Army leadership and the broader military education system, which may reflect or reinforce institutional culture and values reflected in training and commissioning.Additional impacts: The bill signals a congressional emphasis on tradition, honor, and unity within the service academy environment. It could influence public perception of the Army’s educational mission, and may provoke discussion about how mottoes and ethos are taught and integrated into cadet training, while not altering funding or prescribing new programs beyond the mission statement update.

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