Herrera Beutler Pushes Back on $25-million Kennedy Center Funding in COVID-19 Relief Bill

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U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler has put her support behind a House measure to rescind $25 million earmarked for the Kennedy Center as part of the $2 trillion CARES act COVID-19 response funding.

Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, announced today, April 1, that she had co-sponsored H.R. 6407 which would claw back the millions described as a “bailout” for the performing arts center in Washington, D.C. Her news release making the announcement stated that National Symphony Orchestra members who perform at the center would have their paychecks stopped at the end of this week.

“It was critical we passed the CARES Act to rush direct relief to folks in Southwest Washington and bolster our health workers on the front lines who are treating patients and containing this virus. But a global pandemic is not an excuse to send millions in taxpayer dollars to non-virus related items — especially a concert hall in Washington, D.C. that chooses not to use its $25 million to protect workers’ livelihoods,” Herrera Beutler said in the release. “If there are additional opportunities to save taxpayer dollars when they’re not being used to provide urgent relief to those impacted by this disaster, I’ll take them.”



Herrera Beutler previously lauded the CARES act as action that would benefit her constituents directly, mentioning specifically $350 billion in loans to small businesses to prevent layoffs, $100 billion to hospitals and healthcare providers for supplies, and tax rebate checks of $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 for married couples and $500 for each child.

— The Reflector