The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 17-2 to give Washington, D.C., the power over the deserted RFK Stadium back, a move the city hopes will lure the Washington Commanders back to the city.
The bill, titled the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act, aims to recategorize the land the stadium is located on from being controlled by Congress to being controlled by local D.C. government “for purposes which include commercial and residential development.”
“Let’s go, Commanders,” said Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), committee chairman, once the roll call vote ended. The two who did not vote in favor of the bill were Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Mike Lee (R-UT).
The vote marks one more hurdle cleared toward possibly bringing the team back to Washington, as the bill will now move to a floor vote in the Senate.
“Today’s result is an exciting and significant step forward for the city of Washington D.C. as it looks to gain long-term control of the RFK site,” a Commanders spokesperson said in a statement.
“The Commanders have been fortunate to have three incredible jurisdictions as we search for a new home and stadium. The vote today brings us one step closer towards continuing conversations with D.C., along with Maryland and Virginia, as a potential future home for our franchise,” the statement continued.
While the bill passed with high support in the House, Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) previously stopped the bill from proceeding to the committee for a vote earlier this year because the organization no longer uses the logo of a Native American that was associated with its former team name.
Daines called for the NFL and the team to recognize the legacy of Walter “Blackie” Weitzel, a member of Montana’s Blackfeet Nation who designed the team’s old Native American logo, by bringing back the design. The old logo and former team name were dropped in 2020 after years of backlash.
Daines voted in favor of the bill Tuesday, saying he supports the bill on the condition that the Commanders honor its commitments to “restore the logo to prominence.”
“I am proud to say, after speaking with my constituents, that they are satisfied with the ongoing negotiations with the team and feel optimistic about the direction that they are heading,” Daines said in a statement. “Therefore, I will support the bill and vote in favor of its passage out of committee with the condition that the team follows through on the commitments made to the family.”
“I urge the team to continue their dialogue and reach a conclusion that honors their past, honors Don Wetzel’s vision to use the logo to help Indian Country and honors the will of the Blackfeet Tribe to restore the logo to place of honor and prominence,” Daines continued.
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Commanders owner Josh Harris has said he wishes for the franchise to return to the District and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has lobbied Congress to give D.C. control of the land. Maryland and Virginia also have their eyes on bringing the Commanders under their jurisdiction.
The team played at RFK Stadium from 1961 until it moved to its current stadium, FedEx Field, in Landover, Maryland, after the 1996 season. The team’s lease expires in 2027.