Congress votes to remove bust of Justice Roger Taney, author of infamous Dred Scott decision
 
 
Congress on Thursday passed legislation calling for the removal of the bust of Justice Roger Brooke Taney from the Capitol. The fifth chief justice wrote the infamous decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) concluding that enslaved people were not considered U.S. citizens and therefore not afforded constitutional and legal protections. It is regarded as one of the worst decisions in Supreme Court history.
The passed legislation states that Taney is "unsuitable for the honor of display to the many visitors to the Capitol." The decision to remove the bust is now in the hands of President Biden. The bill also calls for the bust to be replaced with a bust of Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first Black man to serve on the Supreme Court, reports The New York Times.
The House bill was sponsored by Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who hails from the same state as Taney. "For Black Americans who have grown up in segregation, face racial violence, and still confront institutional racism today, seeing figures like Taney honored here is a searing reminder that the past is present," he said.
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 removal comes as another step in ridding government buildings, including the Capitol, of Confederate-era figures. The removal of Taney's bust has been under discussion since 2020, however former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had called the initiative "a bridge too far." Under a Democratic Congress, the bill finally passed.
The legislation states that the removal, "does not relieve the Congress of the historical wrongs it committed," but "expresses Congress's recognition of one of the most notorious wrongs to have ever taken place in one of its rooms."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
- 
 Pentagon unable to name boat strike casualties Pentagon unable to name boat strike casualtiesSpeed Read The Pentagon has so far acknowledged 14 strikes 
- 
 41 political cartoons for October 2025 41 political cartoons for October 2025Cartoons Editorial cartoonists take on Donald Trump, ICE, Stephen Miller, the government shutdown, a peace plan in the Middle East, Jeffrey Epstein, and more. 
- 
 King Charles strips Andrew of ‘prince’ title King Charles strips Andrew of ‘prince’ titleSpeed Read He will now be known only as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor 
- 
 Is Mike Johnson rendering the House ‘irrelevant’? Is Mike Johnson rendering the House ‘irrelevant’?Talking Points Speaker has put the House on indefinite hiatus 
- 
 Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariff Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax 
- 
 Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICE Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch 
- 
 Shutdown stalemate nears key pain points Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff 
- 
 Voting Rights Act: SCOTUS’s pivotal decision Voting Rights Act: SCOTUS’s pivotal decisionFeature A Supreme Court ruling against the Voting Rights Act could allow Republicans to redraw districts and solidify control of the House 
- 
 Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan ad Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy 
- 
 NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footage NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges 
- 
 Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East Wing Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction 
