Key facts
- A bipartisan bill seeks to prevent the demolition of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
- The bill states that a memorial to honor a US president may not be demolished unless authorized by Congress.
- President Donald Trump had previously stated the center would be demolished if his name was not added to it.
- The Kennedy Center receives annual appropriations from Congress and has received an additional $257 million for maintenance.
- The Kennedy Center board, controlled by Trump appointees, previously approved renaming it the 'Trump-Kennedy Center'.
US lawmakers are working to prevent President Donald Trump from demolishing the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, following his public statements that the building would be torn down unless his name was added to it. A federal judge had previously ordered the Trump administration to provide at least 30 days' notice before taking any demolition steps.
Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, along with Democratic Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine, have introduced a 15-line bill stating that a memorial to honor a US president designated by Congress cannot be demolished without congressional authorization. Merkley, Murkowski, and Pingree are members of appropriations committees that oversee federal buildings.
An attempt to quickly pass the bill in the Senate was blocked by Republican Senator Mike Lee. The lawmakers are now considering other legislative avenues, such as attaching the bill to other essential legislation expected to be debated at the end of the year. Representative Pingree stated that even if the bill does not pass, it serves as a significant statement from Congress opposing the demolition.
President Trump, in an interview with Time magazine, declined to commit to refraining from destroying the building unless Congress approved, stating, "We're going to see how it plays out in court." The Kennedy Center receives annual congressional appropriations for its maintenance and has been allocated an additional $257 million for deferred maintenance needs.
Senator Merkley criticized Trump's threats as "straight out of the authoritarian playbook," noting that memorials to Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson are also protected. Senator Murkowski commented that repairs to the facility have been delayed by litigation. Earlier this year, the Kennedy Center board, influenced by Trump appointees, approved renaming it the "Trump-Kennedy Center," with his name added to the facade before a court halted the renaming.