Sen. Booker seeks passage of bill to remove Confederate statues from US Capitol
Sen. Cory Booker is seeking the passage of a bill to have statues honoring Confederate leaders removed from the United States Capitol building.
News 12 Staff
•
Jun 18, 2020, 9:36 PM
•
Updated 1,418 days ago
Share:
More Stories
1:49
Rally held in Paterson to mark 1 year anniversary of George Floyd’s death
1,076ds ago0:14
Prosecutor: Man admits to trying to set police car on fire during Trenton riot
1,083ds ago0:39
Maplewood Middle School holds discussions on racism following Derek Chauvin verdict
1,109ds ago1:56
Paterson works to strengthen trust between police and community in post-Chauvin guilty verdict
1,111ds ago2:15
Paterson officials work to regain trust between community and police
1,111ds ago3:33
Hoboken PD Chief: Floyd death hurt police-community relations across the country
1,111ds ago1:49
Rally held in Paterson to mark 1 year anniversary of George Floyd’s death
1,076ds ago0:14
Prosecutor: Man admits to trying to set police car on fire during Trenton riot
1,083ds ago0:39
Maplewood Middle School holds discussions on racism following Derek Chauvin verdict
1,109ds ago1:56
Paterson works to strengthen trust between police and community in post-Chauvin guilty verdict
1,111ds ago2:15
Paterson officials work to regain trust between community and police
1,111ds ago3:33
Hoboken PD Chief: Floyd death hurt police-community relations across the country
1,111ds agoSen. Cory Booker is seeking the passage of a bill to have statues honoring Confederate leaders removed from the United States Capitol building.
The Democratic senator argued his bill on the Senate floor on Thursday.
“The continued presence of these statues in the halls is an affront to African Americans and the ideals of our nation,” Booker argued. “When we proclaim this to be not just a place of liberty and justice for all, but as we seek to be a more beloved nation, a kinder nation, a nation of equal respect and equal dignity, it is an assault on all of those ideals."
LIVE BLOG: George Floyd protesters around the tri-state area and U.S.
MORE: Photos from protests over death of George Floyd
MORE: Photos from protests over death of George Floyd
Booker tried to expedite passage of the bill, but was blocked by Republican Sen. Roy Blunt who objected.
Blunt said he is open to holding a hearing on the bill, but he opposed immediate action because it would upend a process set in law governing the display of state-sponsored statues in the Capitol.
Photos: Protests Across New Jersey
Blunt, a member of the GOP leadership team, also said he is heartened by states such as Arkansas that are replacing Confederate statues on their own.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she is ordering the removal from the Capitol of portraits honoring four previous House speakers who served in the Confederacy.
The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.
