A bill to designate the mountain at the Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, as Devils Tower, and for other purposes.

Bill Summary

This bill is a concise, single-purpose measure that formally designates the prominent geologic formation and a nearby associated area within Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, as “Devils Tower.” It provides two specific coordinate points—44°35'26"N, 104°42'55"W (the monolith itself) and 44°35'21"N, 104°41'48"W (an associated area within the monument)—and directs that any reference in federal law, maps, regulations, orders, or documents shall be deemed a reference to “Devils Tower.” In effect, the bill codifies in statute the name already widely used by the National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN), and the public, thereby standardizing the nomenclature across all federal records going forward.

The operative mechanics are straightforward. Section 1(a) establishes the official name for the feature and a nearby area. Section 1(b) ensures consistency by requiring that all federal references—whether in laws, maps, or administrative materials—use “Devils Tower.” There are no other sections or policy provisions; the bill does not alter monument boundaries, land management authorities, access policies, climbing regulations, or sacred site protections. Nor does it authorize funding or require immediate reprinting of maps; rather, it ensures that the standardized name is used as materials are updated. The phrase “and for other purposes” in the short title is boilerplate and not reflected in any additional mandates in the text.

The practical effect is to lock in the long-standing federal usage of “Devils Tower,” a name familiar to tens of millions of visitors, climbers, and tourists, as well as the surrounding gateway communities whose tourism branding relies on it. The BGN historically disfavors apostrophes in possessive place names, and “Devils Tower” (without an apostrophe) reflects that convention. By elevating the name from administrative usage to statutory law, Congress would supersede or preempt any future administrative renaming efforts by the Department of the Interior or the BGN. Any change thereafter would require new legislation.

The bill inevitably touches a broader, longstanding cultural and historical debate. The formation is sacred to many Native American tribes, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, and others, who have traditional names such as “Mato Tipila” (often translated as Bear Lodge or Bear’s Lodge). Over the years, tribes and some local stakeholders have urged reconsideration of the “Devils Tower” name, sometimes advocating renaming the feature or the monument to reflect Indigenous heritage. These efforts have occasionally generated local, state, and national discussion, with economic branding, cultural sensitivity, and historical continuity all in the mix. By codifying “Devils Tower,” the bill would decisively maintain the status quo and signal that any shift to a tribal name or a dual-name solution would not proceed via federal administrative channels.

From an implementation standpoint, the bill is low-cost and administratively clean. Agencies would update the name in digital databases and printed materials as part of regular cycles. The coordinates ensure precision about what is being named, reducing ambiguity in mapping and land records. The statute’s clarity helps avoid piecemeal or conflicting references across agencies. There are no direct fiscal outlays or programmatic directives.

Politically, the bill aligns with the Wyoming delegation’s emphasis on preserving recognized local and historic place names that support the state’s outdoor recreation economy and identity. Supporters will portray it as a common-sense standardization and a safeguard against uncertain or politically contentious renaming processes. Critics will view it as foreclosing meaningful consultation outcomes with tribes and insulating a contested name from evolving norms around cultural recognition and reconciliation. The measure could thus be read both as a purely technical naming fix and as a symbolic cultural-positioning bill that places congressional weight behind the current name.

In sum, S. 31 is a narrow, definitional statute with minimal operational consequences but notable symbolic resonance. It codifies “Devils Tower” for the iconic monolith and a nearby area within the national monument, mandates consistent federal usage, and effectively removes administrative pathways for future renaming, thereby channeling any subsequent changes through Congress. It neither expands nor contracts federal land management authority and carries negligible costs, but it does stake out a clear position in a sensitive cultural conversation about place names, history, and tribal recognition.

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