I am writing about the proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. Three federal laws prohibit this project without congressional authorization, and not one member of Congress has voted to approve it.
The Commemorative Works Act of 1986 bars new monuments on federal land in Washington without express authority of Congress. A 1912 statute says structures "shall not be erected" on federal land in the capital without that same authority. The Height of Buildings Act of 1910 caps Washington structures at 130 feet. The arch is 250 feet.
Every major memorial in Washington went through Congress. The Lincoln Memorial. The World War II Memorial. The MLK Memorial. The administration has not identified a single precedent for bypassing this process. The Commission of Fine Arts approved the design, but that panel is advisory. It cannot authorize construction or appropriate funds.
Vietnam War veterans have sued to block the arch. A federal judge halted above-ground construction on the White House ballroom project using the same legal theory. On June 15, 2026, House Democrats warned Interior Secretary Burgum and Park Service officials that proceeding without Congress could trigger personal fines, suspension, and criminal imprisonment.
I am asking you to cosponsor H.R. 9047, the Arlington National Cemetery Viewshed Protection Act, which bans the arch and prohibits federal funding for it. If you serve on the Natural Resources Committee, demand that Chairman Westerman schedule a hearing. The Constitution gives Congress authority over construction on federal land in the capital. Use it.
