S. 5602Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)Introduced

No Funds for Trump’s Illegal Arch Act

A bill to prohibit the use of Federal funds for the planning and construction of any structure or monument at Memorial Circle at Columbia Island/ Lady Bird Johnson Park in the District of Columbia.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 6, 2026 at 5:41 AM UTC

The bill bars the use of any federal money to plan, design, engineer, permit, or build a structure or monument at Memorial Circle in Lady Bird Johnson Park (formerly Columbia Island) in Washington, D.C. It applies to all federal agencies and would only allow funding if a project is specifically authorized under the Commemorative Works Act. The measure targets any future memorial or building proposals for that specific site.

Key Provisions

Defines "Memorial Circle" as the National Park Service reservation within Lady Bird Johnson Park that was previously called Columbia Island.
Prohibits federal funding for any planning, design, engineering, permitting, ground preparation, or construction of a structure or monument at Memorial Circle, unless the project is expressly authorized under the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. § 8106).

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 687.

September 30, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 29, 2026

SenateCalendars

Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

September 29, 2026

SenateCalendars

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 687.

September 30, 2026

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 5602 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Sep 30, 2026

Mr. President, I understand that there are two bills at the desk due for a second reading en bloc. Mr. President, in order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would…

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Sep 29, 2026

Madam President, I understand that there are two bills at the desk, and I ask for their first reading en bloc. I now ask for a second reading, and I object to my own request, all en bloc.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Placed on Calendar SenateIssued September 30, 2026

Calendar No. 687

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5602

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 29, 2026

Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. King, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Van Hollen) introduced the following bill; which was read the first time

September 30, 2026

Read the second time and placed on the calendar

A BILL

To prohibit the use of Federal funds for the planning and construction of any structure or monument at Memorial Circle at Columbia Island/ Lady Bird Johnson Park in the District of Columbia.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the No Funds for Trump’s Illegal Arch Act.

Prohibition on use of Federal funds for the planning and construction of any structure at Memorial Circle at Columbia Island/ Lady Bird Johnson Park in the District of Columbia

(a)

Definition of Memorial Circle

In this section, the term Memorial Circle means the George Washington Memorial Parkway management unit designated as National Park Service reservation number 344 and tract identification number 344–012 within Lady Bird Johnson Park in the District of Columbia, which was formerly known as Columbia Island.

(b)

Prohibition

No Federal funds may be used for the planning, design, engineering, permitting, or construction of any structure or monument at Memorial Circle, including the conduct of any ground preparation or ground disturbance activity, unless the structure or monument is expressly authorized in accordance with section 8106 of title 40, United States Code, or chapter 89 of that title (commonly known as the Commemorative Works Act).

September 30, 2026

Read the second time and placed on the calendar