Duckworth and Cruz Introduce Legislation to Designate Route 66 a National Historic Trail

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) this week led U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in introducing a bill to amend the National Trails System Act and designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail. Route 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway, is more than 2,400 miles long, stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, and crossing through eight states. Full bill text is available here.

“Route 66 is one of the most famous roads in America and has played a tremendous role in our history and culture—connecting our country through travel, commerce and so much more,” said Duckworth. “Route 66 is an integral part of Illinois’s story, and I’m proud to help introduce this legislation to help ensure this historic route is protected and commemorated for future generations.”

Duckworth’s Route 66 Centennial Commission Act was signed into law in 2020, which established a centennial commission in preparation for the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026. Appointments to the commission were announced earlier this year.

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