Three Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill to rename the federal prison in Miami, Florida, after former President Donald Trump.
Representatives Gerry Connolly of Virginia, Jared Moskowitz of Florida and John Garamendi of California on Friday put forth the legislation. The bill states that "any reference" to the Miami Federal Correctional Institution would be changed to the "Donald J. Trump Federal Correctional Institution."
Trump faces four criminal indictments and the appeals process after being found liable in three civil lawsuits amid his run for reelection. The former president appeared in Miami federal prison in June for arraignment in his federal classified documents case, where he faces 37 felony counts, accused of willfully withholding sensitive information at his Mar-a-Lago estate that was obtained during his presidency. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
"Everyone knows President Trump loves to write his name in gold letters on all his buildings," Moskowitz said in a statement. "But he's never had his name on a federal building before and as a public servant I just want to help the former president. Help us make that dream a reality."
The Context
The Democrats' proposal arrives a week after a group of House Republicans introduced a bill to change the name of Washington Dulles International Airport—the largest airport in the Washington, D.C., area—to "Donald J. Trump International Airport."
The measure, H.R. 7845, was introduced on March 29 by Pennsylvania Congressman Guy Reschenthaler and backed by six other GOP representatives: Charles Fleischmann of Tennessee, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Barry Moore of Alabama, Troy Nehls of Texas, Andy Ogles of Tennessee and Michael Waltz of Florida.
Dulles airport is named after John Foster Dulles, secretary of state who served during the Cold War under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1952 to 1959. He died at the age of 71 the same year he resigned after battling colon cancer.
What We Know
Connolly said in a statement shared with Newsweek on Friday that the proposal to rename the federal prison in Miami was sparked by Republicans' plans to change the name of Dulles.
"When our Republican colleagues introduced their bill to rename Dulles after Donald Trump, I said the more fitting option would be to rename a federal prison," the congressman said.
"I see no reason to wait," he continued. "Donald Trump faces nearly 100 felony charges. He has been found liable of sexual abuse and, subsequently, for defaming the victim of that abuse. He has been fined hundreds of millions of dollars in a civil fraud case. It is only right that the closest federal prison to Mar-a-Lago should bear his name."
Garamendi added in the joint statement that he could not "think of a more fitting tribute to our former president, Donald J. Trump, than renaming the closest federal prison to Mar-a-Lago in his honor."
An email was sent to Trump's campaign for comment on Friday.
Views
A handful of Democratic lawmakers in Virginia also criticized their GOP colleagues last week for proposing H.R. 7845. Representative Abigail Spanberger wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the idea "is ridiculous, but sadly real."
"Congress must act on pressing issues like reauthorizing the [Federal Aviation Administration] and passing the national security supplemental," the congresswoman added. "Yet this is what a Member of House Republican leadership focuses on—renaming Virginia's Dulles airport after Trump."
Congressman Don Beyer criticized Trump's policies as president in a thread to X after the bill was announced last week, writing that one of his "first acts as president was a racist Muslim ban that blocked permanent American residents from their own country."
The travel ban was enacted by Trump shortly after he took office in January 2017, and Beyer said that at the time, he "went to Dulles to try to help innocent people caught up in the chaos."
"I remember grandparents detained for hours as their terrified families waited," he continued. "Those detained at Dulles and other U.S. airports committed no crime, they just happened to be traveling at a shameful moment for our country."
Former Virginia Republican Representative Denver Riggleman also mocked the bill as being "not" an "April Fools" joke, writing on X, "No sane [Virginia] rep would support it. If you want to 'sycophant' stick to your own damn airports."
What's Next?
The bill to rename Dulles airport after Trump was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction. There is virtually zero chance for the bill to become law at the moment. Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the House, and Democrats control the Senate and White House.
Regarding the Democrats' push to rename the prison after Trump, Connolly added in the release Friday that he hopes "our Republican friends will join us in bestowing upon Donald J. Trump the only honor he truly deserves."
Update 04/05/24, 3:18 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter on the Night Team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her focus is reporting on national ... Read more
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