Nancy Mace Amendment Seeks to Rename USNS Cesar Chavez Ship

A provision from U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) has been tucked into the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would force the Navy to rename the USNS Cesar Chavez, a Military Sealift Command cargo ship named for the labor leader and Navy veteran.

The amendment, included in the House Armed Services Committee’s Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) draft, directs the Secretary of the Navy to rename the ship “in keeping with the naming conventions for that class of vessels.” It also says the new name should honor “an individual, place, or concept” that reflects “the values, ideals, and history of the United States and the Navy.”

The measure does not propose a replacement name, and it remains unclear what specifically prompted Mace to target the ship.

The provision would revive a ship-naming fight that appeared to have cooled last year, when then-Navy Secretary John Phelan reportedly told lawmakers the service had no plans to rename the USNS Cesar Chavez amid concerns that it could be among several vessels named for civil rights figures under review.

Military.com reached out for comment to Mace on Tuesday and received no response.​​​​

A Civil Rights Icon

The USNS Cesar Chavez, also known as T-AKE-14, is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo and ammunition ship operated by Military Sealift Command. The ship supports Navy logistics at sea, moving supplies such as ammunition, food, repair parts, stores and limited quantities of fuel to U.S. and allied ships.

Chavez is best known as the labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded what became the United Farm Workers. But before that, he served in the Navy.

According to the Naval History and Heritage Command’s entry on the ship, Chavez enlisted in the Navy as a teenager and served for two years before returning to farm labor and later becoming an organizer. He went on to become one of the country’s best-known advocates for migrant farmworkers, leading strikes, boycotts and organizing campaigns that made him a major figure in 20th-century labor history.

In a statement to Military.com, the Cesar Chavez Foundation said decisions over commemorations bearing Chavez’s name “rightfully belong” to the affected communities. In their response, they said:

When the USNS Cesar Chavez was first christened and launched, the Chavez family accepted the honor on behalf of all Latino veterans who fought and served this country but whose contributions and service have gone underrecognized. We believe it is appropriate and necessary for the federal government to keep those contributions in mind if and when it chooses to rename the ship.

The ship bearing his name was christened in 2012 and joined a class of vessels generally named for American explorers, trailblazers and pioneers. That class includes ships named after Lewis and Clark, Sacajawea, Amelia Earhart, Carl Brashear and Medgar Evers.

That naming pattern is likely to be central to the debate.

Supporters of renaming the ship may argue Chavez does not fit traditional military or naval naming conventions. Opponents are likely to point to his Navy service, national prominence and civil rights legacy as reasons the name belongs on a ship whose class already includes several nontraditional military names.

A Broader Fight Over Navy Names

The Mace provision comes amid a wider Pentagon push to review or change names tied to politics, civil rights and diversity initiatives.

Last year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk, a Military Sealift Command oiler that had honored the gay rights leader and Navy veteran. The ship was renamed for Oscar V. Peterson, a Navy Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.

Hegseth framed that move as part of an effort to remove politics from military naming and restore what he has called a “warrior ethos” inside his department. Critics said the decision erased the service of a Navy veteran and civil rights figure.

The USNS Cesar Chavez had already drawn Republican criticism when its name was announced more than a decade ago. Some lawmakers at the time argued that other Latino veterans or military heroes would have been more appropriate choices. Supporters said Chavez’s Navy service and national legacy made him a fitting namesake.

Mace’s amendment also lands at a politically uncertain moment for the South Carolina congresswoman. She is running for governor; however, President Donald Trump recently endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the Republican primary. Evette’s polling improved after Trump’s endorsement, according to USA Today, while Mace remained behind several other candidates in the crowded race.

The ship-renaming provision is only one part of the sprawling annual defense bill. The House bill still has to survive floor debate, possible changes, and negotiations with the Senate before becoming part of the final NDAA.