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Today in Interstate History

October 4, 1990

Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts followed up on a proposal introduced by his Republican colleague John Heinz of Pennsylvania to rename the Interstate System after the 34th president. Kerry's amendment changed the new name from the "Dwight D. Eisenhower Interstate Highway System" to the "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways." Heinz concurred with Kerry's amendment, which then became part of the bill signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. Ultimately, Section 1005 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 would add "National" after Eisenhower's name to the new title for the Interstate System.