House votes 285-120 to remove Confederate and pro-slavery statues from the U.S. Capitol


The House voted 285 to 120 on Tuesday evening to remove statues of Confederate leaders and other proponents of slavery from the U.S. Capitol. A bust of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, a slave owner who infamously wrote the opinion in 1857's Dred Scott v Sanford, would also be replaced in the Capitol's Old Supreme Court Chamber with one of Thurgood Marshall, the first Black justice on the Supreme Court.
"Symbols of slavery, sedition, and segregation have no place in the halls of Congress," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), a sponsor of the legislation.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) were among the 67 Republicans who voted in favor of the bill, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), the No. 3 House Republican, was among the 120 Republicans who voted no. McCarthy noted that "all the statues being removed by this bill are of Democrats," and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) pointed out in return that all the pro-segregation Democrats switched parties after the Civil Rights Act, flagging the late Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) as an example.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where it would need 10 Republican votes to beat a filibuster. After the House passed a similar measure last year, 305 to 113, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), then majority leader, did not bring it up for a vote, saying it was up to states to decide the fate of the statues.
Seven of the 12 Confederate statutes are in the Capitol's National Statuary Hall collection, and Congress doesn't have the authority to replace them — since 1864, each state has sent two statues to be included in the collection, and the states have to be the ones to replace them. The House bill would instruct the architect of the Capitol to remove the statues from public view until states send replacements. It specifically mentioned Charles B. Aycock, John C. Calhoun, and James P. Clarke, slavery supporters contributed by North Carolina, South Carolina, and Arkansas, respectively.
Arkansas has already passed a law that will eventually replace Clarke and its second statue, Uriah M. Rose, with statues of Johnny Cash and civil rights activist Daisy Bates, while North Carolina has announced plans to replace Aycock with a statue of Rev. Billy Graham. Virginia has recalled its statue of Robert E. Lee, the top Confederate general.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Ozempic menus: how weight-loss jabs are changing restaurants
In The Spotlight Reduced appetites mean a shift towards smaller portions
-
Canal-boating trips around the UK
The Week Recommends Britain's tranquil waterways are a great place to unwind
-
The horse racing industry is caught up in the migrant debate
Under the Radar At least 78% of the workers on race tracks are reportedly immigrants
-
Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer
speed read The diagnosis hits close to home, as the former president 'dedicated much of his later career to cancer research'
-
Is Trump trying to take over Congress?
Talking Points Separation of powers at stake in Library of Congress fight
-
Supreme Court weighs court limits amid birthright ban
speed read President Trump's bid to abolish birthright citizenship has sparked questions among federal judges about blocking administration policies
-
Why do GOP lawmakers want to ban state-level AI regulation?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION House Republicans are pushing to block states from making their own AI laws for the next ten years, even as expert warn the results could be disastrous.
-
Gabbard fires intelligence chiefs after Venezuela report
speed read Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has fired the top two officials leading the National Intelligence Council
-
Trump vows to lift Syria sanctions
speed read The move would help the new government stabilize the country following years of civil war
-
Senate rejects Trump's Library of Congress takeover
speed read Congress resisted the president's attempts to control 'the legislative branch's premier research body'
-
Hamas frees US hostage in deal sidelining Israel
speed read Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier, was the final living US citizen held by the militant group