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.
- Bill Number
- H.Res. 973
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Arts, Culture, Religion
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-02-02: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- Last Updated
- 2026-02-03T09:05:48Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This resolution (H. Res. 973) expresses the House of Representatives' view that renaming the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to include "Donald J. Trump" violates federal law, specifically the John F. Kennedy Center Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-260). It aims to reaffirm Congress's original intent to honor President Kennedy exclusively through this national memorial and to urge corrective actions amid concerns over executive influence on cultural institutions and federal arts funding.
Key Provisions
The resolution includes extensive background "Whereas" clauses detailing the history of the Kennedy Center and recent events, followed by a "Resolved" section with three main points:
- Violation of law: Declares that the board's redesignation of the center as "The Donald J. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts" breaks federal law by undermining Congress's bipartisan dedication of the center solely as a memorial to President Kennedy, including prohibitions on additional memorials or plaques in public areas.
- Restoration of signage: Calls for immediate removal of the new signage installed on December 19, 2025, and restoration of the original "John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" name.
- Resignations: Urges all officers and members appointed by President Trump to the Board of Trustees to resign promptly.
The background highlights:
- The 1964 Act's establishment of the center as the only national Kennedy memorial in Washington, D.C., with President Johnson's endorsement.
- President Trump's actions in 2025, including terminating bipartisan board members, appointing himself as Chairman, installing allies, and announcing the redesignation without congressional approval.
- Suppression of dissent during board meetings, such as muting ex-officio congressional members.
- Broader cuts to federal arts funding, including cancellation of over 500 National Endowment for the Arts grants and 1,400 National Endowment for the Humanities grants, staffing reductions, and proposals to eliminate these agencies in the FY 2026 budget.
- Impacts on museums, education, and community programs serving vulnerable groups like students, rural areas, and veterans.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This is a non-binding "sense of the House" resolution, so it introduces no formal changes to existing law. Instead, it interprets and reinforces the 1964 Kennedy Center Act by asserting that the redesignation and related board actions violate its explicit prohibitions on altering the center's dedication or adding memorials. It does not amend statutes but signals potential grounds for future enforcement or litigation.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Could pressure the Kennedy Center's board and executive branch to reverse changes, potentially restoring bipartisan governance. It highlights risks to federal arts agencies like the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, where funding cuts have already led to layoffs, program cancellations, and mission disruptions.
- On citizens: May protect public access to cultural programs by opposing funding eliminations that affect arts education, museums, libraries, and community initiatives for underserved groups (e.g., seniors, veterans, rural communities).
- On international relations: Minimal direct impact, though the center's status as a "national institution" could influence U.S. cultural diplomacy if alterations are seen as politicizing a globally recognized memorial.
Overall, passage would have symbolic weight, possibly galvanizing congressional oversight of executive actions on cultural heritage but lacking legal force without follow-up legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Congress: House members, especially those on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (where the resolution was referred) and ex-officio board members, who were sidelined in decision-making.
- Kennedy Center Board of Trustees: Bipartisan members (now dominated by Trump appointees) and leadership, facing calls for resignations and reversal of actions.
- Executive Branch: President Trump, his appointees (e.g., Richard A. Grenell as Interim President), and agencies like the White House, National Endowment for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Humanities, targeted for funding and staffing cuts.
- Cultural and arts community: Museums, educational institutions, state/local arts agencies, nonprofits, and individuals relying on federal grants for programs in arts, humanities, and education.
- Public and historical preservation groups: Citizens valuing the Kennedy legacy, including historians and the American Alliance of Museums, which reported grant losses affecting one-third of U.S. museums.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces the 1964 Act's binding language on the center's exclusive dedication to Kennedy, potentially providing a basis for lawsuits claiming unauthorized alterations to a federally designated memorial (e.g., violations of prohibitions on plaques or redesignations without congressional approval).
- Constitutional: Raises separation of powers concerns, as the executive's unilateral board overhaul and redesignation bypass Congress's authority over federal cultural institutions; it also touches on free speech issues in board meetings where congressional members were silenced.
- Political: Highlights partisan tensions over cultural policy, framing executive actions as overreach that undermines bipartisan arts support. As a House-only resolution introduced by Rep. Lynch (D-MA) on December 30, 2025, it reflects Democratic opposition but requires broader support for influence; its referral to committee suggests limited immediate action but could spur debates on arts funding in appropriations bills.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
Cosponsors (10)
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9], Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8]
Recent Actions
- 2026-02-02: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 2025-12-30: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-12-30: Submitted in House
- 2025-12-30: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- 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. — issued 2025-12-30 — PDF (6 pages)