Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, tried to pass their bill by unanimous consent to remove Confederate statues from the US Capitol.
Booker said the statues represent “hurt” and “pain” and don’t belong in the Capitol. Schumer said they honor men who are traitors and fought against the US to advance slavery.
Rules Committee Chair Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouri, objected to their request arguing that the current law allows states to decide who they want to honor in the Statuary Hall collection and therefore it’s up the states to decide to replace them not Congress.
Statuary Hall is a chamber near the House floor filled with statues of American historical figures. Each state is allowed to keep two statues of historical figures in the hall.
Blunt noted that several states already have removed Confederate statues and others are moving to remove them. He also said he supports changing the names of military bases named for Confederates and said that is up to the Congress to decide, not the states where the bases are located.
Source CNN