Dear Supporters,
Our campaign to save the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building is gaining real momentum—thanks to you. 🙌
In recent weeks, the fight to protect this “Sistine Chapel of the New Deal” has reached a national audience. USA Today and The Atlantic both spotlight the building’s significance and the urgent concerns about its potential sale and the fate of its New Deal-era artworks. Public attention like this helps ensure decisions aren’t made quietly or without accountability.
Read the coverage: 📰
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/03/30/new-deal-murals-cohen-social-security-building-trump-administration/89217239007/
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/05/new-deal-art-wilbur-cohen-building-murals/686581/
Our advocacy is also making an impact in Washington, DC. Earlier this month, Living New Deal Assistant Director Mary Okin traveled to meet with members of Congress. 🤝 She is raising awareness about threats to the building and the GSA Fine Arts Collection—and pressing lawmakers to act.
A key priority: repealing the 2024 provision introduced by Senator Joni Ernst into an unrelated Water Resources law directing the GSA to sell the building. Repeal is essential so preservation options remain open and decisions aren’t predetermined without public input. ⚖️
We are also urging lawmakers to release the GSA’s modernization feasibility study (completed last spring), which shows the building can be renovated—and that doing so is not cost-prohibitive.
These efforts reinforce a simple truth: the Cohen Building is not just another federal property—it’s a vital piece of U.S. cultural history. 🇺🇸
We are at a pivotal moment. Public awareness is rising, and lawmakers are listening—but decisions are still unfolding. Continued pressure is critical.
Every signature and every conversation strengthens the case for preserving the Cohen Federal Building.
Take action: ✊🏛️
- Share the petition 🔁
- Talk to friends, coworkers, and neighbors about the new media coverage 🗣️
- Contact your representatives to support repeal of the Ernst provision and release of the GSA feasibility study 📣
📨 Sign up for updates:
https://livingnewdeal.org/sign-up/
💖 Support the campaign:
https://livingnewdeal.org/support-living-new-deal/
In solidarity and with deep gratitude for your support,
— The Save the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building Campaign 💙