Northwest lawmakers won’t attend military parade in D.C. on Army’s 250th anniversary, Trump’s birthday

WASHINGTON – Thousands of Americans are expected to descend on the nation’s capital on Saturday to see the city’s biggest military parade in decades, but members of Congress from the Northwest won’t be among the crowds.

The parade marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, which estimates the total cost of the event will be between $25 million and $45 million. It also coincides with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday, and with Flag Day.

Republicans from Washington, Idaho and Oregon said they don’t plan to attend the spectacle but appreciated the opportunity to celebrate the Army. More than 6,000 soldiers will participate in the event, along with tanks, armed vehicles, rocket launchers, marching bands, horses, mules and one dog, according to the Army.

“It’s a great way to honor America’s military history; happy birthday to the U.S. Army,” Rep. Michael Baumgartner said. The Spokane Republican dismissed the idea that Trump is using the occasion to celebrate himself.

Democrats from the Northwest said they celebrate the Army but questioned why the government would spend millions of taxpayer dollars on what they see at least partially as an elaborate birthday bash for the president, at a time when Trump and his GOP allies in Congress are proposing cuts to Medicaid and food assistance for low-income Americans.

“It is a huge waste of taxpayer dollars,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in an interview. “I appreciate the 250th anniversary, but it should be about the soldiers. It should be about the men and women who serve, not about satisfying President Trump’s ego.”

Rep. Adam Smith of Bellevue, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, called the parade “wildly inappropriate” and said that while he has no problem celebrating the U.S. military, including in parades, the price tag of Saturday’s event is unprecedented.

“It’s clear Trump is doing this as a celebration of his power, not as a celebration of the military,” Smith said in a brief interview at the Capitol. “It’s obviously going to be very costly and very disruptive, and also, I think, sends the wrong message. As someone said a long time ago, we are not a tanks-in-the-street type of republic, and we should not become one.”

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps were also founded in 1775, but in October and November of that year. Smith said neither of those military branches is likely to get the same celebration as the Army, “because their birthday doesn’t fall on Donald Trump’s birthday.”

Most members of Congress choose to head home on weekends and during recess periods, but several Republicans have said they plan to stay in D.C. to attend the parade.

“While I will not be in attendance at the parade, I sincerely appreciate this meaningful tribute honoring our nation’s heroes,” Rep. Russ Fulcher, a Republican who represents North Idaho, said in a statement. “This celebration marks a historic milestone in the Army’s proud legacy of courage and unity. It is with deep respect and gratitude that we recognize the U.S. Army’s 250 years of dedication, service, and sacrifice on behalf of all Americans.”

Fellow GOP Reps. Dan Newhouse of Sunnyside, Mike Simpson of Idaho Falls and Cliff Bentz of Eastern Oregon will all miss the parade, their spokespeople said. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch also said they will be out of town.

“Happy 250th Birthday to the U.S. Army!” Crapo said in a statement. “For two and a half centuries, the brave men and women of the U.S. Army have stood as a bulwark of freedom, defending our nation and its values at home and abroad. We are eternally grateful for their unwavering courage, sacrifice, and dedication. Thank you for your service.”

Asked what he thought about the estimated cost of the event, Risch replied, “Don’t know anything about it.”

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said she routinely goes to Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma for events celebrating the military, but she sees Saturday’s event as something else.

“We appreciate 250 years of the Army,” she said in a brief interview. “I don’t know that we had to do this to celebrate that. I’ll definitely be thanking the men and women at our Army installations and commemorating them.”