Overview

• The committee adopted the amendment 33-25 on party lines as part of the FY2026 Interior and Environment appropriations bill.
• Rep. Mike Simpson said the name change honors Melania Trump’s role as honorary chair and her support for the performing arts.
• House Democrats, led by Rep. Chellie Pingree, criticized the rider as a partisan insertion into must-pass funding legislation.
• The proposal follows President Trump’s February overhaul of the Kennedy Center board, including firing members and naming loyalists.
• If passed by the full House, the amendment must secure a 60-vote majority in the Senate before becoming law.