House Committee Rejects Women’s History Museum Bill

All four Democratic members of the House Administration Committee voted against a proposal that would allow land on the National Mall for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. This bill, however, passed with a 7-4 vote largely along party lines, according to Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican from New York and the bill’s sponsor.

Malliotakis, who doesn’t serve on the committee, expressed her views on social media. She noted that Democrats opposed an amendment aimed at ensuring the museum honors only biological women. In her post, she remarked, “Democrats on the House Administration Committee just voted against my bill to build a Women’s History Museum because of an amendment that ensures only biological women are on display. What a great way to celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth!”

Her post included a legal text stating that the museums should focus on the history and experiences of biological women and must not depict biological men as women. The Democratic committee members included Rep. Joe Morrell of New York, who serves as the ranking member, along with Reps. Terry Sewell, Norma Torres, and Julie Johnson. Interestingly, some of the bill’s original co-sponsors, like Johnson and Sewell, voted against advancing it in committee.

Morrell criticized the Republicans, suggesting they added “ideological poison” to the bill. He stated that the proposal was modified to include partisan elements, such as giving the President authority to select a museum site right before construction while neglecting to honor a museum dedicated to American Latinos.

“The star of the Epstein files and the Access Hollywood tapes is the last person to be handed the keys to a museum honoring American women,” Morrell added.

In response, Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump, supported Malliotakis’s concerns, labeling the situation as “outrageous” and not surprising from Democrats. Alongside her remark, she included a clown emoji.

Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer and a vocal opponent of biological males in women’s sports, also weighed in. She noted that advancing the Women’s History Museum bill was a step closer, but only after the contentious amendment passed, which she believed reflects the current focus in 2026. Gaines thanked Malliotakis for her support of the initiative.