A group of Democratic lawmakers is urging the Trump administration to halt plans for a proposed "triumphal arch" near Arlington Memorial Bridge, arguing that the project lacks congressional authorization and would damage one of the nation's most significant historic landscapes.
In a June 15 letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Jessica Bowron, acting director of the National Park Service, and other agency officials, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and four congressional Democrats said the National Park Service should suspend its review of the project and decline to issue any permits related to its construction.
The letter was signed by King, ranking member of the Senate National Parks Subcommittee; Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico; Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon; Rep. Jared Huffman of California; and Rep. Maxine Dexter of Oregon.
The lawmakers argue that the proposed monument, envisioned as part of celebrations surrounding the nation's 250th anniversary, violates federal laws because Congress has not approved it.
"Congress has enacted no such laws," the lawmakers wrote, referring to requirements under the Commemorative Works Act for memorials and monuments on National Park Service land in the nation's capital.
According to the National Park Service proposal cited in the letter, the arch would include roughly 70,000 square feet of space across five levels, featuring security screening areas, elevators, a gallery floor that could house a cafe and gift shop, and an observation deck more than 160 feet above ground.
The lawmakers argued that such a structure also requires explicit congressional approval under a separate federal statute governing construction on federal parkland in Washington.
The letter further challenges the project's height, noting that the main arch would rise about 166 feet, with statuary increasing the overall height to about 250 feet. The lawmakers said the design conflicts with long-established congressional restrictions on building heights in the nation's capital.
Beyond legal concerns, the lawmakers argued that the monument would disrupt historic sightlines connecting the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Memorial Bridge, and Arlington National Cemetery. They cited National Park Service findings that the project would adversely affect historic properties, including Arlington House, the Washington Monument grounds, and the National Mall.
The lawmakers also criticized what they described as an abbreviated public review process, noting that the National Park Service provided only 10 days for public comment on the proposal. They argued that the review was being rushed despite the project's potential impact on nationally significant historic resources.
"If the Administration believes the semiquincentennial warrants a permanent commemorative work in the capital, the path is open and well worn; it runs through Congress," they wrote.