Lawmakers who want to stop President Donald Trump from demolishing the Kennedy Center are hunting for a new legislative vehicle, and they think they've found one: a must-pass bill later this year.

The bipartisan measure was blocked in the Senate, so its sponsors are now looking for another path forward, Reuters reported Friday.

Looking for a Different Door

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) are weighing whether to attach the measure to legislation Congress is expected to take up before the end of the year.

The bill itself is short, just 15 lines, and its core is simple: no demolition of a presidential memorial designated by Congress without an act of Congress. Merkley and Murkowski tried to move it through the Senate late Monday. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) blocked the effort, according to the report.

Pingree told the news outlet that lawmakers were trying to build safeguards around the Kennedy Center dispute. She argued the bipartisan effort would still send a message even if the legislation never passes.

Murkowski said separately that the situation at the center was worsening as litigation has delayed repairs. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) noted that Congress has authority over the center's federal funding and said he hoped Trump's advisers would discourage further escalation.

Trump, for his part, has not committed to preserving the Kennedy Center without congressional approval. In a Time interview this week, he said he was not making such a commitment and would wait to see how the matter develops in court.

The White House and the office of Sen. Mike Lee did not immediately respond to MarketDash's request for comment.

The Demolition Fight Itself

Last month, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide at least 30 days' notice before taking steps toward demolishing the building. Trump had said the Kennedy Center could be "ripped down" if his administration did not receive recognition at the complex.

In August, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said demolition could eventually happen if Trump could not renovate the center, while describing it as not imminent.

Money is part of the mess, too. In September, the center faced warnings over its ability to cover payroll and maintenance costs, while Congress had already approved $257 million for deferred maintenance.

Disclaimer: This content was produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.