Murkowski Seeks Restraint on Presidential Memorials
Washington, DC—U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, last night sought to limit the Trump administration’s ability to take certain actions that fall under the subcommittee’s jurisdiction.
“President Trump has made recent statements about the Kennedy Center and the ‘Triumphal Arch,’ giving very little context or content about either to Congress or the public. Both projects fall under the purview of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which I chair,” said Senator Murkowski. “Any action to demolish facilities authorized by Congress or to construct facilities on federal land first requires rigorous oversight and explicit congressional approval. I would ask the Trump administration to work with us and present actual plans, including cost estimates, for these projects rather than circumventing their responsibility to American taxpayers.”
Senator Murkowski joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the subcommittee, introducing legislation that would require congressional authorization to demolish presidential memorials constructed under congressional mandate. The list of presidential memorials includes the Kennedy Center. Senator Merkley introduced the bill and sought unanimous consent for its passage on the Senate floor, but another member blocked that motion.
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