Lake America Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (31 Aug 2026): Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
What this bill does
H.R. 10196, the "Lake America Act," would officially rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America." Under the bill, any reference to Lake Ontario in federal laws, maps, regulations, documents, or other records would automatically be treated as a reference to "Lake America." The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Chairman of the Board on Geographic Names, would oversee implementation of the renaming across federal documents and maps, and every federal agency would be required to update its own documents and maps to reflect the new name within 180 days of the bill's enactment.
The bill primarily affects federal agencies, which would bear the administrative task of identifying and updating references to Lake Ontario in their records. It could also affect any other entities—such as state or local governments, mapmakers, or the public—that rely on federal documents, charts, or nomenclature referencing the lake, since those references would legally be considered to mean "Lake America." The bill does not address Canadian jurisdiction over the lake, which it shares with the United States, or any other geographic, environmental, or economic matters.
The bill was introduced on August 31, 2026, by Rep. Jimmy Patronis of Florida and referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. As with any introduced bill, it must be considered and approved by that committee, then pass the full House, pass the Senate, and be signed by the President before becoming law. No further action has yet occurred.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Timeline
31 Aug 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 10196 do?
- H.R. 10196, the "Lake America Act," would officially rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America." Under the bill, any reference to Lake Ontario in federal laws, maps, regulations, documents, or other records would automatically be treated as a reference to "Lake America." The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Chairman of the Board on Geographic Names, would oversee implementation of the renaming across federal documents and maps, and every federal agency would be required to update its own documents and maps to reflect the new name within 180 days of the bill's enactment. The bill primarily affects federal agencies, which would bear the administrative task of identifying and updating references to Lake Ontario in their records. It could also affect any other entities—such as state or local governments, mapmakers, or the public—that rely on federal documents, charts, or nomenclature referencing the lake, since those references would legally be considered to mean "Lake America." The bill does not address Canadian jurisdiction over the lake, which it shares with the United States, or any other geographic, environmental, or economic matters. The bill was introduced on August 31, 2026, by Rep. Jimmy Patronis of Florida and referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. As with any introduced bill, it must be considered and approved by that committee, then pass the full House, pass the Senate, and be signed by the President before becoming law. No further action has yet occurred.
- Has H.R. 10196 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 10196. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 10196?
- H.R. 10196 was sponsored by Rep. Patronis, Jimmy [R-FL-1] (R-FL), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 10196?
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. (31 Aug 2026).
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More bills from Rep. Patronis, Jimmy [R-FL-1]
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FECA Modernization and Cost Containment Act of 2026
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