House lawmaker urges Congress to sue Trump to block Washington arch

WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. House Democratic lawmaker on Tuesday urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to file suit in behalf of Congress to block the Trump administration from starting work on a triumphal arch in Washington. "Congress has neither appropriated funding nor granted authority for this project," wrote Representative Chellie Pingree, the top Democrat on the subcommittee that oversees funding for national parks. "The administration is building it anyway, betting this body will do nothing to stop it. I am asking you to take all necessary steps to file suit immediately, while there is still ground left to save." (Reporting by David ShepardsonEditing by Nick Zieminski) Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. This story was originally published September 8, 2026 at 9:48 AM.