The bill led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) to establish a Smithsonian American Women's History Museum failed due to a GOP requirement that only biological women be honored, leading to no Democratic support. The bill was opposed by six GOP hard-line defectors, with concerns over the museum's content and location on the National Mall.
sounded the death knell on legislation to establish a Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum on Thursday over concerns that the content of the museum would perpetuate ‘identity politics’ and take up more of the National Mall’s limited space.
The bill, led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), failed 204-216, with no Democratic support. Democrats overwhelmingly opposed the legislation over a GOP requirement that only biological women be honored. Six GOP hard-line defectors — Reps.
Keith Self (R-TX), Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Andy Harris (R-MD), and Tim Burchett (R-TN) — opposed the bill. Suozzi and Fitzpatrick introduce bill to kill Trump’s $1.776 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fundWashington Examiner that the members feared it would become ‘woke. ’ The staffer also detailed GOP concerns over the museum’s planned location on the National Mall, as well as costs to construct the building.
Burchett told reporters he voted against the legislation over concerns that Democrats would change the scope of the museum when they regain control of Washington to include transgender people.that Republicans ‘don’t need to buy into the identity politics; we need great American museums. ’ He also expressed concerns over the location, saying he didn’t want the museum on the National Mall.
‘If they want to build it in some dark corner of D.C. , fine, but I don’t want it on the National Mall,’ Self said. Harris, meanwhile, said he opposed the construction of the museum because the National Mall is ‘disappearing. ’The bill would have authorized land on the National Mall to be used to build the American Women’s History Museum, as the Smithsonian can not start construction until federal land is transferred for the project.
The museum was set to be built across from the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the mall. Malliotakis expressed disappointment at the floor outcome, telling reporters there was ‘no reason for Democrats to pull their support over the word ‘biological.
’’ On the GOP defections, the New York lawmaker said she always ‘kind of knew that there might be one or two’ Republicans against the museum, but was disappointed to see the six Republicans vote against the measure. House Democrats overwhelmingly rejected the legislation due to provisions added by Republicans that allow only biological women to be exhibited in the museum. They also argued Republicans gave President Donald Trump more authority over the museum’s location and construction.
The final legislation requires the Women’s History Museum’s design and planning to get approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which includes members appointed by the president.that the amended bill ‘completely flies in the face of the museum’s intention — Republicans traded the representation of women for Trump’s gain and ego. It’s as embarrassing as it is disappointing.
’that Democrats were ‘pleased that it failed’ because it was a ‘Republican-partisan Trumpian version of the women’s museum,’ noting she hopes the bill reverts to its previous version. The bill also decoupled the women’s museum from the National Museum of the American Latino, which had been paired together for years after Trump approved their creation as part of a 2020 appropriations bill.
Bipartisan support for the legislation fell apart in March after Republicans amended the bill’s text during a House Administration Committee markup to include the language limiting the museum’s inclusion to only biological women and giving the president increased authority over its location, allowing him to designate an alternative site within 180 days of passage. During debate on the House floor Thursday, House Administration Committee ranking member Joe Morelle (D-NY) accused Republicans of ‘needlessly’ politicizing the museum and inserting an ‘ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women’s history.
’ Malliotakis rejected Democrats’ criticism of the bill, saying America has ‘more than enough women to display in this museum that we shouldn’t be fighting over the need to have non-biological individuals in there. ’ ‘So, I don’t understand why we’re pulling bipartisan support from legislation to establish this museum,’ Malliotakis added.
‘As a matter of fact, let me read, so everybody at home knows exactly what this debate is over. It is over one sentence.
‘The museum shall be dedicated to preserving, researching, and presenting the history, achievements, and lives experienced by biological women in the United States. ’ That’s what the disagreement is about. ’ She continued, ‘I hate to alert my friends on the other side of the aisle, but a museum dedicated to women’s history should have women in it. That’s it. That’s simple.
Smithsonian American Women's History Museum GOP Requirement For Biological Women Inclusion No Democratic Support Six GOP Hard-Line Defectors Concerns Over The Museum's Content And Locatio Keith Self (R-TX) Josh Brecheen (R-OK) Michael Cloud (R-TX) Warren Davidson (R-OH) Andy Harris (R-MD) Tim Burchett (R-TN)
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