Photo courtesy the Eisenhower Memorial Commission.

The struggles continue for the Eisenhower Memorial, and now it’s not the design that’s the only problem—it’s also the money.

Roll Call reports that a draft spending bill coming out of the House cuts $53 million in 2013 funds for the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, the 11-person body charged with designing and building the memorial to President Dwight Eisenhower. Part of the decision to deny the commission funding seems to be based on ongoing concerns over a controversial Frank Gehry design for the memorial:

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, which has held a hearing on the project, said the decision not to further fund the commission was a sound one.

“I think it’s wise until we can get more clarity on what the memorial should be,” said Bishop, who indicated that he would recommend the Appropriations Committee withhold additional funding until “consensus” can be reached.

The commission and others argue that the decision may be less based on objections to Gehry’s design and more based on tough financial times. Also, a commission spokeswoman said that the $59 million it requested in funding was to be used to start construction, but since that has been delayed due to fights over the design, the money wouldn’t be needed next year anyhow. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has said that he will try and restore some of the funds.

Still, the news only puts additional pressure on the commission, which has backed Gehry’s design. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) is investigating how Gehry’s design was chosen, while Interior Secretary Ken Salazar recently asked to see models of the current design so as to move the commission and Eisenhower’s family—which strongly objects to elements of Gehry’s design—closer to consensus.