Legislation to advance the construction of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum in Washington, DC, failed in the House on May 21 after Democrats rejected amendments added by Republicans. The bill, introduced by Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis, was defeated 216-204, with six Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. Key changes included language specifying the museum would honor only “biological women” and explicitly barring the depiction of any “biological male as a female,” which critics said would exclude transgender women. Other provisions would have given President Donald Trump unilateral authority to choose an alternative site for the museum, originally planned for the National Mall, and granted approval power over design and construction to commissions controlled by Trump appointees.
The defeat matters because it marks a significant partisan rupture over a project that had enjoyed bipartisan support since its inception in 2020. The dispute reflects broader cultural and political battles over gender identity and transgender rights, as well as concerns about executive overreach in cultural institutions. The museum’s future is now uncertain, as the amended bill’s failure leaves the project without a clear path forward. The outcome also highlights how Smithsonian projects, typically seen as nonpartisan, have become entangled in contemporary political divisions.