Jamie Raskin unveils bill mandating review of White House renovation projects

WASHINGTON, DC: Democratic Rep Jamie Raskin of Maryland is set to introduce legislation on Tuesday, December 16, that would require the White House renovation projects to undergo the same historic preservation reviews mandated for other federal buildings.

The move followed President Donald Trump’s controversial ballroom expansion. 

Raskin’s proposal, titled 'The People’s White House Historic Preservation Act', would eliminate a long-standing exemption that shielded the White House from certain oversight requirements under the National Historic Preservation Act. 

Bill mandates review of all White House renovations

Specifically, the bill would mandate a “Section 106 review,” a pre-construction process that evaluates how proposed changes could affect historic structures and provides an opportunity for public input.

Raskin said in a phone interview with CBS News, “It's not his house; it's our house. And if there is going to be construction and renovation expansion or changes, that should go through a regular public process.”

White House ballroom project sparks legislative push

The legislation follows the start of construction on a privately financed, 90,000-square-foot ballroom addition that is expected to cost roughly $300 million.

Work began three months ago, East Wing was demolished in late October, despite earlier assurances from Trump that the new structure would be “near it but not touching it” and would “pay total respect to the existing building.”

Trump has publicly boasted about the speed with which the project was moving forward, recalling being told, “Sir, this is the White House, you’re the president of the United States, you can do anything you want.”

Raskin sharply rejected that framing, saying, “It’s kings who treat public property as private property.”

White House administration defends authority

The White House has maintained that the president has “full legal authority to modernize, renovate, and beautify the White House,” arguing that the project does not require the same level of review as other federal construction.

So far, formal scrutiny of the ballroom plans has been limited, aside from architectural renderings Trump has displayed at public events.

However, in a court filing late Monday, the administration said consultations “will soon be underway” with the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the Commission of Fine Arts, two independent advisory bodies that oversee federal projects in the Washington area.

The filing also noted that the administration was not legally required to consult either commission and said above-ground construction on the ballroom would begin no earlier than April. 

Raskin’s bill would make consultations with both commissions mandatory before any ground is broken.

Dispute over demolition rights and new construction 

At an NCPC meeting in early December, Chairman Will Scharf, who also serves as a White House staffer, said that the commission lacked jurisdiction over the East Wing demolition because its authority applies only to new construction.

“We simply do not have jurisdiction over demolition and site preparation work,” Scharf said, adding that the commission would play a “constructive role” once above-ground building begins.

Raskin disputes that interpretation, arguing that leveling the East Wing without a review process violated federal laws governing the destruction of public property.

He acknowledged, however, that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted under those statutes.

The bill currently has 27 Democratic co-sponsors, but with Republicans controlling the House, its prospects are uncertain. Raskin said he hopes some Republicans will support the measure on principle.

“I hope there are enough champions of the public-private distinction in the Republican caucus that we can bring some over,” he said.

Meanwhile, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit seeking to halt construction of the ballroom. The suit argues that no president has the legal authority to demolish or build on the White House without public review, regardless of party.