No official summary available for this bill.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 973 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 973
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the
designation of the ``Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial
Center for the Performing Arts'' constitutes a violation of Federal
law, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 30, 2025
Mr. Lynch submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the
designation of the ``Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial
Center for the Performing Arts'' constitutes a violation of Federal
law, and for other purposes.
Whereas Public Law 88-260, the John F. Kennedy Center Act enacted by Congress on
a bipartisan basis in 1964, designated the National Cultural Center in
Washington, DC, as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in
honor of the dedication of President John F. Kennedy to the advancement
of the welfare of mankind and the performing arts, in appreciation of
his service with distinction as President of the United States and as a
Member of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and out
of respect to the great loss endured by the Nation and the world as a
result of his untimely death;
Whereas, in further dedication to the memory of President Kennedy, Congress
expressly mandated that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts shall be the sole national memorial to the late John Fitzgerald
Kennedy located within the city of Washington and its environs;
Whereas, in signing Public Law 88-260, President Lyndon B. Johnson acknowledged
that in life, President Kennedy actively participated in the development
of the former National Cultural Center, considering that he ``delighted
not only in the classic forms through which our civilization has found
expression, but also in the popular arts of today, with their variety,
their humor, and the capacity to touch the lives of all of our people'';
Whereas President Johnson additionally recognized that designating the former
National Cultural Center in memory and honor of President Kennedy was
``entirely fitting'' given that President Kennedy personally approved
the design of the building and expressed the hope that he might see it
completed during his term of office;
Whereas President Johnson further acknowledged that the John F. Kennedy Center
for the Performing Arts ``is not simply a Washington building'' but
rather a ``national institution'' that will endure to honor a great man
and enrich American life;
Whereas the John F. Kennedy Center Act also expressly prohibits the designation
and installation of additional memorials and plaques in the public areas
of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts;
Whereas, on February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump announced on social
media that he would immediately terminate multiple individuals from the
bipartisan Board of Trustees for the John F. Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts, including the Chairman, and install himself as
Chairman;
Whereas a public statement subsequently released by the John F. Kennedy Center
for the Performing Arts on February 7, 2025, stated that ``this would be
the first time such action has been taken with the Kennedy Center's
Board'';
Whereas, on February 12, 2025, the revised Board of Trustees, now consisting of
more than 30 individuals solely appointed by President Trump, voted to
designate President Trump as Chairman and replace the President of the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with an Interim
President, Richard A. Grenell, former Acting Director of National
Intelligence under President Trump;
Whereas, on December 18, 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
announced on social media that the revised Board of Trustees for the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts had ``unanimously'' voted
to redesignate the building as the Trump-Kennedy Center;
Whereas several Members of Congress who also serve as ex-officio members of the
Board of Trustees, including the Democratic Leader of the House of
Representatives, subsequently reported that during the Board of Trustees
meeting leading up to the vote, meeting participants were prevented from
speaking, with one ex-officio member and Member of Congress even muted
and not permitted to voice opposition to the building redesignation;
Whereas, on December 19, 2025, new signage redesignating the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts as ``The Donald J. Trump and the John F.
Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts'' was installed on the
building exterior absent congressional authorization;
Whereas, since taking office on January 20, 2025, President Trump has sought to
terminate millions of dollars in Federal arts and humanities grants that
Congress previously enacted on a bipartisan basis;
Whereas, in 2025, President Trump canceled more than 500 congressionally
appropriated grants administered by the National Endowment for the Arts,
terminating Federal funding directed to State and local art agencies,
educational institutions, community theaters, and other organizations
and individuals that support arts education nationwide and leading to
the departure of every discipline director at the agency;
Whereas, in 2025, President Trump canceled more than 1,400 congressionally
appropriated grants administered by the National Endowment for the
Humanities, terminating Federal funding for State humanities councils,
schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations that seek to expand
public accessibility to humanities programs such as teacher training,
historical lectures, adult education, book festivals, and art
exhibitions;
Whereas the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget submitted by President Trump to Congress
proposed the outright elimination of the National Endowment for the
Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of
Museum and Library Services;
Whereas, in 2025, President Trump has implemented sweeping staffing cuts
undermining the critical missions of Federal arts and education
agencies, including mass layoffs affecting more than two-thirds of the
workforce at the National Endowment for the Humanities; and
Whereas, according to the nonpartisan American Alliance for Museums, in 2025,
one-third of American museums have already reported canceled Federal
Government grants or contracts, including funding administered by the
National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the
Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, with many
institutions forced to cancel critical facility improvements and public
programing for students, rural communities, individuals with
disabilities, seniors, and veterans: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives
that--
(1) the designation of ``The Donald J. Trump and the John
F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts'' by the
Board of Trustees constitutes a violation of Federal law and
contravenes the express intent of Congress to solely honor,
with a national monument, President John F. Kennedy and his
appreciation and promotion of the arts;
(2) the original signage for the John F. Kennedy Center for
the Performing Arts should be immediately restored; and
(3) all officers and members appointed by President Trump
to the Board of Trustees should promptly resign their
positions.
<all>
Submitted in House
Submitted in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line