Larson, Beyer to Introduce Bill Blocking the Construction of Unlawful and Costly Trump “Triumphal Arch”
East Hartford, CT – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) and Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08) announced plans to introduce the Arlington National Cemetery Viewshed Protection Act. Their bill would block the construction of Trump’s proposed 250-foot “Triumphal Arch” planned for Memorial Circle, between Washington, D.C., and the Arlington National Cemetery. Today’s announcement follows a vote from Trump appointees on the Commission of Fine Arts to approve designs for the project, and the President’s plan to circumvent the law by not seeking Congressional approval.
View Rep. Larson’s remarks on Trump’s arch here.
“From emblazoning his likeness on currency to putting his name on the Kennedy Center, Donald Trump will do just about anything with your taxpayer dollars to feed his fragile ego,” said Larson. “He is a narcissistic nihilist—plain and simple. His newest scheme is a 250-foot arch dedicated to himself, overlooking the sacred grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. We should be honoring our veterans at Arlington, not building a vanity project to make Donald Trump feel better. He has no legal right to build this gaudy monument to honor himself, but we know he has no regard for our rule of law. It’s why he appointed his cronies to greenlight this project! I’m proud to work with Rep. Beyer to block this arch from ever seeing the light of day. We will continue fighting to stop this insult to our veterans and massive waste of your taxpayer dollars.”
“Arlington National Cemetery is sacred ground, the resting place for some of our nation’s greatest heroes,” said Beyer. “It is unthinkable that we would desecrate this hallowed space to build a monument to Donald Trump’s ego. Trump’s vanity project would waste taxpayer money, brazenly violate existing law, and become yet another vehicle for his corruption. The Administration has also given no consideration to potential harmful effects on the region including impacts on air safety and traffic on major roadways. Worst of all, Trump is not trying to build this arch to commemorate national heroes, servicemembers who lie in Arlington National Cemetery, or to celebrate freedom. He did not dedicate it to the American people or our country’s greatness. Asked who this arch is for, Trump said, simply: ‘me.’ Congress must draw the line at dishonoring our fallen with such naked displays of narcissism, and I therefore call on all members of both parties to join our efforts to block this arch.”
Trump’s proposed arch is plainly illegal under the Commemorative Works Act, which requires Congressional approval for memorials on federal land in or near D.C. The Arlington National Cemetery Viewshed Protection Act would:
Explicitly prohibit construction of a triumphal arch within Lady Bird Johnson Park, the small island between Arlington Memorial Cemetery and the Potomac River;
Permanently prohibit the use of federal funds for such an arch; and
Prohibit the construction of such an arch or similarly-disruptive and non-Congressionally approved structures on any National Park Service lands within the National Capital Region.