Updated
Updated · NBC Washington · Jun 1
Beyer Introduces Bill to Block Trump's 250-Foot Arch Near Arlington as Approval Fight Deepens
Updated
Updated · NBC Washington · Jun 1

Beyer Introduces Bill to Block Trump's 250-Foot Arch Near Arlington as Approval Fight Deepens

3 articles · Updated · NBC Washington · Jun 1

Summary

  • Nearly three dozen Democrats have joined Rep. Don Beyer’s bill to stop President Donald Trump’s planned 250-foot Triumphal Arch between Arlington National Cemetery and Memorial Bridge.
  • Beyer argues a 34-year-old commemorative law requires congressional approval for any construction on that land, directly disputing Trump’s claim that Interior Department ownership lets the project proceed without Congress.
  • The Virginia Democrat also questions whether taxpayer money can be used for the arch, whose cost the administration has not disclosed, and says the structure would block Arlington’s view of the Lincoln Memorial.
  • The project has already won final approval from the Commission of Fine Arts, but the National Capital Planning Commission is set to take it up at its June meeting.

Insights

Who holds the authority to build on the sacred ground near Arlington: the White House or Congress?
Will a 250-foot arch redefine the historic skyline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery?