Hundreds Protest US Senate Bill Threatening Historic Preservation Act

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the West Lawn of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Monday, November 9, to oppose the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), also known as Senate Bill S.5653. Opponents argue the bill would dismantle a critical provision of the National Historic Preservation Act, specifically Section 106, Title III.

Representatives from over 100 tribal nations, along with members of Congress and leaders from organizations such as the Association of African American Museums, the DC Preservation League, the American Institute of Architects, and the Archaeological Institute of America, assembled to protest. The legislation, if passed, would eliminate the requirement for federal agencies to inform and consult with the public and tribal nations about potential harm to historic sites.

New Mexico Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury characterized the BAAJA as a“dirty deal” at the protest, noting it was drafted without tribal consultation or public input. California Representative Jared Huffman stated that the 500 new pages of legislative text, which he described as“the most sweeping legislation we've seen on energy and environmental policy in decades,” were released just 48 hours before the Senate was scheduled to vote on it that Monday evening.

“They scheduled this vote for tonight to try to prevent something like this,” Huffman told the estimated 800 attendees on the Capitol lawn.“To try to prevent the American people from having a say, from looking under the hood of this sweeping legislation and understanding what's actually it, but you came anyway.” Protesters displayed signs, including illustrations of President Donald Trump's proposed Triumphal Arch in flames and phrases like“Nix 106,” listening to more than 15 speakers for over two hours. These speakers contended that the BAAJA poses a severe threat to US history.

Greg Werkheiser, a leader of the Section 106 Coalition and co-founder of Cultural Heritage Partners, initiated the protest. He stated:“We gather at the seat of American democracy, where the laws of this nation are written, to affirm one simple principle: the people deserve a voice in decisions that affect the places that we love. That is the promise we have come here today to defend.”

Beyond removing the public engagement requirement for federal agencies, the BAAJA would also make consultation with tribal nations optional. It would narrow the scope of activities requiring a federal historic preservation review, restrict the definition of what constitutes a historic site, and eliminate consideration of sensory, indirect, and cumulative impacts on historic and sacred sites. This would effectively enable federal agencies to take over tribal and state historic preservation offices that do not adhere to new limits and deadlines. The bill would even limit the legal actions individuals and organizations could pursue against the destruction of historic and sacred sites.

Arizona Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva emphasized the deeper implications for tribal communities. She said:“For tribal nations, the fight is more than historic preservation. It's about sovereignty. It's about self-determination. It's about the fundamental right to protect our ancestral homelands, culturally significant sites, and traditions that have existed since time immemorial.”

Under its current form, Section 106 mandates federal agencies to assess the impact of federally funded building projects and requires recipients of federal funds or permits to consult with tribal nations. If S. 5653 is enacted, this mandatory consultation, which ensures tribal nations' involvement in decision-making, would become optional.

Harry Antonio Jr., the governor of the Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico, spoke at the rally. He stated:“Our sacred places are living places of prayer, our responsibilities to them do not end at the reservation boundary. You do not have to share our prayers to understand why those places deserve respect. Section 106 gives our governments a way to bring those concerns into federal decisions.”

Senators supporting the bill have argued that its passage would generate more economic opportunities. Grijalva, articulating a view shared by most rally attendees, countered:“Economic development does not require sacrificing our history, our culture or our sovereignty. We can create jobs without destroying sacred places. We can create jobs without sacrificing Mother Earth, our land, our water.”

Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib asserted the bill would accelerate projects with significant environmental consequences, including data centers and gas pipelines. She said:“This bill strips away what little tools we already have to defend ourselves from corporate polluters.”

The Senate's vote on the BAAJA coincides with Trump's initiative to construct a 250-foot-tall arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. On November 5, protesters gathered at the proposed arch site and spoke against it during a National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) meeting. Although the NCPC voted to approve the arch, a Washington, DC judge immediately issued a 14-day block on its construction.

Huffman warned that passage of the BAAJA would jeopardize such legal challenges. He said:“The court orders stopping construction of those projects would not be possible if this BAAJA legislation becomes law. If this becomes law, the administration will use that in those pending court cases to make it much, much harder to stop Trump from advancing those and other vanity projects.”

Speakers urged attendees to contact their senators and implored senators to reject the bill or postpone the vote until newly elected members of Congress are sworn in during January.

We previously reported:

A DC court has issued a 14-day restraining order against the construction of Trump's proposed 250-foot Triumphal Arch after a protest and NCPC approval.

Source: The Art Newspaper

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