Bipartisan bill to build women’s history museum falls after GOP amendment
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- A decade-long bipartisan effort to establish a women’s history museum in Washington failed in the House on a 204-216 vote, with all Democrats and six Republicans opposing the revised bill.
- The bill, authored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) and initially supported by 231 co-sponsors including 127 Democrats, lost Democratic backing after GOP amendments gave President Trump unilateral control over the museum’s site and construction.
- Democrats opposed the amended bill due to concerns it restricted the museum to "biological women," excluding transgender women, and included Trump-appointed architectural boards, which they viewed as politicizing the project.
- Republican leadership criticized Democrats for withdrawing support over the "biological women" language, while Democrats accused Republicans of inserting divisive culture war issues that undermined bipartisan cooperation.
- Earlier bipartisan goodwill contrasted sharply with the current partisan split, as lawmakers from both parties had previously emphasized the museum’s importance in celebrating women's contributions to U.S. history.