1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose the construction of President Trump's proposed Independence Arch near Arlington National Cemetery. This 250-foot monument planned for Memorial Circle near Memorial Bridge represents a serious threat to one of our nation's most sacred historic landscapes. The proposed arch would stand more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial and would sit directly on the ceremonial axis connecting the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington House. This sightline was specifically designed after the Civil War to evoke national unity and remains one of Washington's most symbolically charged vistas. Disrupting this historic view for what amounts to a vanity project dishonors the careful planning that has preserved our capital's monumental core for generations. Three Vietnam War veterans, Michael Lemmon, Shaun Byrnes, and Jon Gundersen, have joined a retired architectural historian in filing a federal lawsuit to block this construction. These veterans visit this solemn view regularly and believe the structure would dishonor their military and foreign service. When those who have served our country in uniform oppose a monument supposedly built to honor them, we must listen. The proposal also raises serious legal and safety concerns. Under the Commemorative Works Act, memorials built on federal land in Washington generally require authorization from Congress, which has not been granted. Required environmental and historic preservation reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act have not been completed. Additionally, at 250 feet tall, the arch could pose a hazard to air travel at nearby Reagan National Airport. Arlington National Cemetery and its surrounding landscape deserve protection from projects that prioritize spectacle over substance. I urge you to publicly oppose this proposal and support efforts to block its construction through congressional action if necessary. Our veterans and our history deserve better than this ill-conceived monument.