1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

Vote against any federal appropriations for the proposed Independence Arch at Memorial Circle. This 250-foot monument does not deserve taxpayer money when the National Park Service budget is being slashed by $1 billion. The White House claims leftover donations will fund construction, yet the National Endowment for the Humanities spending plan includes $15 million in federal funding. Meanwhile, Trump's budget proposes a $10 billion fund for D.C. projects—four times larger than the entire NPS budget he wants to cut. That math doesn't add up, and veterans and park visitors will pay the price. This structure would tower over the Lincoln Memorial at 166 feet, topped with 60 feet of golden statuary. It belongs at a theme park, not near Arlington National Cemetery. The location requires congressional approval under the Commemorative Works Act, which limits Memorial Circle to works of "preeminent historical and lasting significance." A monument to one president's legacy doesn't meet that standard. Federal dollars should maintain our existing national parks and memorials, not fund vanity projects. Block any appropriations for this arch.