House Republicans are trying to rename the Kennedy Center’s Opera House after first lady Melania Trump, the latest in a string of congressional measures meant to honor the president and his family.
The proposal was tucked into a funding bill for the Department of the Interior as an amendment that cleared the House Appropriations Committee by a 33-25 vote Tuesday.
After nearly five hours of debate, the committee moved its full funding proposal to the House floor by a vote of 33-28.
During the committee hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat from Maine, said Republicans had “snuck in, I think, something that is slightly divisive, which is renaming one section of the Kennedy Center after the family member of this administration.”
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The historically bipartisan Kennedy Center has become a focal point for President Donald Trump. Since beginning his second term, Trump became the first president to name himself chairman of the Kennedy Center’s board, fired multiple board members and canceled a large chunk of its programming related to the LGBTQ+ community.
The center’s three major stages, the Eisenhower Theater, Opera House and Concert Hall, have never previously been renamed, according to The Washington Post.
The Opera House has more than 2,000 seats and is the second-largest theater at the historic venue.
During the committee meeting on Tuesday, Rep. Mike Simpson, chair of the subcommittee on interior, environment, and related agencies, encouraged fellow Republicans to support the amendment.
“This is an excellent way to recognize [Melania Trump’s] support and commitment to promoting the arts, and I would encourage members to vote for this Republican en bloc amendment,” he said.
Adding the first lady’s name to the Kennedy Center venue is not the first proposal to cement Trump’s legacy.
In late May, for example, Rep. Greg Steube introduced a bill to halt funding to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority unless it renamed the D.C. Metrorail the “Trump Train.”
Other ideas from House Republicans include adding Trump’s likeness to Mount Rushmore and a new $250 bill, renaming the Washington Dulles International Airport after him, and making his birthday a national holiday.
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