Republicans on the U.S. House Budget Committee voted on Tuesday to rename the Opera House at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., after Melania Trump, the first lady.
The vote, which passed with a tally of 33-25, is part of a package that also allocates funding for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and related agencies for the fiscal year 2026. Notably included in this package is the proposal to designate the opera house as the First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.
This vote seems to follow party lines, though Washington Democrat Marie Grusenkamp Perez joined the Republicans in support. Meanwhile, some Democrats expressed surprise at the name change. Cherry Pingley, a ranking Democrat from Maine, voiced her concerns during the committee’s meeting, questioning the appropriateness of renaming a section of the Kennedy Center after the Trump family.
In response, Mike Simpson, the chair of the Idaho Republican subcommittee, argued that the name change honors the first lady’s commitment to the arts. He noted that the Kennedy Center Opera House is already associated with her as the honorary chair of its board of trustees.
Regarded as one of the top performing arts venues in the United States, the Kennedy Center has been a focal point of attention, especially following President Trump’s decision to replace several board members in February, appointing loyalists instead. This included the dismissal of Deborah Lutter, the center’s president, with Richard Grenell considered for her position, who has held various roles under both Trump administrations.
Internal Environmental Law
The internal environmental spending bill proposed by the House outlines nearly $38 billion for targeted sectors and agencies, representing a 6% reduction from current funding levels. A significant portion of this cut comes from a 23% reduction in the EPA budget.
The Home Affairs Ministry is facing a cut of just under half of 1% of its current budget, based on a summary provided by Republicans on the committee. The funding cuts extend into arts and culture, with both the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities seeing a 35% reduction, leading to $135 million for each. Additionally, the Smithsonian is set to receive $961.3 million, a 12% decrease, and the Kennedy Center is facing a 17.2% reduction, bringing its funding down to $37.2 million.
The Full House Approval Committee passed the bill with an amendment by a narrow margin of 33-28. For the bill to become law, it requires 60 votes in the Senate, which often complicates the inclusion of highly partisan measures.
The corresponding Senate subcommittee has not yet released its version of the bill, but discussions are anticipated to occur on Thursday.
