N環球 
Bipartisan lawmakers move to block demolition of the Kennedy Center
Merkley, Murkowski and Pingree introduce a 15-line bipartisan bill requiring an act of Congress before the Kennedy Center can be demolished, after a federal judge ordered 30 days' notice.
Why it matters
The move follows a federal judge's order requiring the Trump administration to give at least 30 days' notice before taking any steps to demolish the Kennedy Center. In mid-September, Trump told reporters that unless his name was added to the building, "It's going to close. It'll end up being ripped down." The center's board, now controlled by Trump appointees, had already temporarily closed the venue, drawing sharp criticism.
Full report
The 15-line bill, authored by Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Democratic Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine, states: "A memorial to honor a president of the United States designated by an act of Congress may not be demolished unless authorized by an act of Congress."
The three lawmakers are all senior members of the appropriations committees that oversee spending on federal buildings and parks. They attempted to rush the bill through the Senate late Monday, but Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah blocked it. They are now weighing new tactics, including attaching it to must-pass legislation Congress is expected to fight over at the end of the year.
"We were just trying to put whatever guardrails up that we could," Pingree said in a telephone interview, pointing to the controversy over the temporary closing of the Kennedy Center by its board and Trump's threats to tear down the building on the banks of the Potomac.
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