A group of House Democrats on Friday unveiled legislation that would rename a Florida federal prison after former President Donald Trump.
The bill seeking to redesignate the Miami Federal Correctional Institution as the Donald J. Trump Federal Correctional Institution was introduced in response to a Republican-backed measure that called for Dulles International Airport in Virginia to be renamed after the 45th president.
“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,” Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), one of the three Democrats sponsoring the legislation, said in a statement.
“I see no reason to wait,” the congressman, whose district encompasses parts of the Dulles airport, added.
“It is only right that the closest federal prison to Mar-a-Lago should bear his name,” Connolly continued. “I hope our Republican friends will join us in bestowing upon Donald J. Trump the only honor he truly deserves.”
Reps. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) and John Garamendi (D-Calif.) joined Connolly in sponsoring the legislation.
“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.”
“Donald J. Trump is the first former president in US history to be criminally indicted, with 88 offenses in four criminal cases to date,” Garamendi said. “MAGA Republicans have proven themselves unwilling to solve real problems that face our country. I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to our former president.”
The effort to rechristen Dulles, located about 25 miles outside the nation’s capital, as Donald J. Trump International Airport is backed by Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) and half a dozen members of the GOP caucus.
“As millions of domestic and international travelers fly through the airport, there is no better symbol of freedom, prosperity, and strength than hearing ‘Welcome to Trump International Airport’ as they land on American soil,” Reschenthaler said in a statement Tuesday, citing Trump’s record on the economy, energy policy and border security, his historic number of judicial appointments, and his “peace through strength” diplomacy as reasons to bestow the former president with the honor.