Bill Text: NJ AR178 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to pass legislation to remove Confederate statues in US Capitol building.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-07-30 - Filed with Secretary of State [AR178 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-AR178-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR.
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to pass legislation to remove Confederate statues in US Capitol building.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the United States Congress to pass legislation requiring the removal of Confederate statues in the United States Capitol building.
Whereas, There are few places in the United States where symbols of the country's history are more prominently on display and in greater abundance than the nation's capital of Washington, D.C.; and
Whereas, The National Statuary Hall Collection, established in 1864, was created with the goal of honoring important historical figures in United States history; and
Whereas, Each state is encouraged to contribute two statues, subject to approval by the state legislature and governor, to the Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection; and
Whereas, There are currently eleven statues of individuals who served in the Confederacy on display in the Capitol complex with some, such as Confederate President Jefferson Davis, located just steps from the House chamber; and
Whereas, There have been calls over the years to remove these statues, but such calls have led only to various rearrangements of statues within the collection; and
Whereas, In conjunction with protests over police brutality, existing legislative action taken to remove Confederate portraits in the Capitol, and steps taken to rename military installations that are currently named after Confederates, lawmakers and American citizens have renewed calls to remove Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol building; and
Whereas, The introduced legislation, H.R. 7217, aims to remove all statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in the United States Capitol within 120 days, with the statues then being either reclaimed by the individual states or given to the Smithsonian museums; and
Whereas, Those who committed treason against the United States, and lead the nation into its most painful and bloody war to preserve the institution of slavery, are not patriots and should not be afforded the honor of having their images on display in the United States Capitol; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the
United States Congress to pass legislation requiring the removal of Confederate
statues in the United States Capitol building.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United State Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges Congress to pass legislation requiring the removal of all Confederate statues in the United States Capitol building.
There are few places in the United States where symbols of the country's history are more prominently on display and in greater abundance than the nation's capital of Washington, D.C.. The National Statuary Hall Collection, established in 1864, was created with the goal of honoring important historical figures in United States history. Each state is encouraged to contribute two statues, subject to approval by the state legislature and governor, to the Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection. There are currently eleven statues of individuals who served in the Confederacy on display in the Capitol complex with some, such as Confederate President Jefferson Davis, located just steps from the House chamber.
There have been calls over the years to remove these statues, but such calls have led only to various rearrangement of statues within the collection. In conjunction with protests over police brutality, existing legislative action taken to remove Confederate portraits in the Capitol, and steps taken to rename military installations that are currently named after Confederates, lawmakers and American citizens have renewed calls to remove Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol building. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has led these renewed calls for removal of the Confederate statues at the Capitol, and Democratic leaders Barbara Lee and Bennie Thompson introduced legislation in furtherance of this goal. The introduced legislation, H.R. 7217, aims to remove all statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in the United States Capitol within 120 days, with the statues then being either reclaimed by the individual states or given to the Smithsonian museums.
Those who committed treason against the United States, and lead the nation into its most painful and bloody war to preserve the institution of slavery, are not patriots and should not be afforded the honor of having their images on display in the United States Capitol.
