Bipartisan Bill in Congress Aims to Block Demolition of the Kennedy Center

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation that would prevent President Donald Trump from tearing down The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts without congressional approval, according to a report from The Daily Record.

The short bill, just 15 lines long, was authored by Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Democratic Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine. It would bar the demolition of any presidential memorial created by an act of Congress unless Congress itself signs off. All three sponsors are senior members of the appropriations committees that oversee funding for federal buildings and parks.

The effort follows a federal judge's order requiring the administration to give at least 30 days' notice before taking any steps toward demolishing the building. In mid-September, Trump told reporters that the Kennedy Center would close and eventually be torn down unless his name appeared on it. That threat helped spark the "Hands Around the Kennedy Center" demonstration, which drew thousands of protesters to the venue last month.

Merkley and Murkowski tried to fast-track the bill through the Senate late Monday, but Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah blocked the attempt. The sponsors are now considering other routes, including attaching the measure to must-pass legislation expected at the end of the year.

Pingree told The Daily Record that the goal was to put protective measures in place wherever possible, noting the controversy surrounding the temporary closure of the venue by its Trump-appointed board. She added that even if the bill does not pass, its bipartisan support sends a clear message from Congress, and she expressed disbelief that the president believes he has the authority to raze the building.

When asked in a recent interview with Time whether he would hold off on demolition without congressional approval, Trump declined to make any commitment and said he would wait to see how the matter is resolved in court.

Merkley, in a statement, characterized the threats as authoritarian, pointing out that the memorials to Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson enjoy similar protections. Murkowski, speaking with Alaska television, said the situation has continued to deteriorate as needed repairs remain stalled by litigation. The condition of the building has itself become a point of contention, with whistle-blowers alleging that center leadership put off the very repairs it later cited to justify the closure.

The Kennedy Center, which opened in 1971 in honor of the assassinated president and arts advocate, receives annual congressional appropriations for building upkeep. Congress has also approved an additional $257 million to address deferred maintenance.

Earlier this year, the Trump-appointed board voted to rename the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center, and Trump's name was added to the facade before a federal judge ruled that only Congress can change the center's name. The court denied the center's bid to keep the name in place, and the board later voted to add Trump's name to three separate spots on the complex, a move the court has since blocked.

The ongoing turmoil has also displaced the institution's signature event, with the Kennedy Center Honors relocating to Capital One Arena for this year's ceremony.