House on verge of approving Kennedy Center expansion project

The House is expected to approve legislation next week that would authorize the expansion of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in the form of an addition to the south end of the building.

The John F. Kennedy Center Reauthorization Act, H.R. 4097, would allow an addition of less than 100,000 square feet, but would require all construction costs to come from private donations. The bill does, however, allow the Kennedy Center board to request annual appropriations for operations and maintenance costs of the addition.

The bill would also authorize $22.4 million for current maintenance costs of the Kennedy center in 2013 and 2014, and another $13.6 million in each of those years for "capital projects."

House Republicans are planning to vote on the bill under a suspension of the rules, usually used for non-controversial bills that require a two-thirds majority vote for passage.

The bill is sponsored by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.), and committee members Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.).