Rep. Kirkpatrick Votes to Uphold American Values, Remove Monuments of Confederate Supporters and White Supremacists from Capitol

Press Release

Today, Rep. Kirkpatrick voted for H.R. 3005, long overdue legislation that removes from the U.S. Capitol all busts and statues of individuals who served the Confederacy and three specific statues of white supremacists -- as well as replaces a bust of racist former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Roger Taney with a bust of Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice. This bill will help ensure that the halls of Congress are reflective of the American values of equality and justice for all.

"Today's vote is a no brainer, there is no room for celebrating or honoring bigotry and hatred inside our temple of democracy," said Rep. Kirkpatrick. "The hallowed halls of the United States Capitol must reflect our highest ideals as a nation: freedom, justice and equality. That is why, today, I voted to take this important step to right the wrongs of history by removing monuments to white supremacists and leaders of the Confederacy from the Capitol. I am also proud to support the replacement of the bust of the racist Chief Justice Roger Taney with a bust of civil rights hero Justice Thurgood Marshall."

Currently, the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the Capitol houses a bust of Chief Justice Roger Taney, who authored the infamous majority decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford, which held that Black Americans could not be United States citizens or awarded the same constitutional rights. This ruling is largely considered among the most extreme, disgraceful and ill-considered in American history. He was also a staunch supporter of slavery and the Confederacy during the Civil War. It is also important to bar all statues of supporters of the Confederacy from the Capitol, as well as remove statues of white supremacists Charles Brantley Aycock, John Caldwell Calhoun and James Paul Clarke. These hateful tributes are an affront to our nation's founding ideals, and removing them will help ensure that our nation does not celebrate these figures' horrific, anti-American legacy.

Justice Thurgood Marshall is widely considered one of the most consequential civil rights leaders in American history. After establishing the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Marshall went on to successfully argue a number of cases before the Supreme Court, including the bedrock Brown v. Board of Education case that outlawed racial segregation in public schools. In 1961, Marshall became the first African American Justice in history to sit on the Supreme Court, where he reliably voted to advance civil rights, protect working families and oppose the death penalty. Replacing the bust of Taney with a tribute to Marshall will ensure that Marshall's important work will be honored and remembered for generations to come.

"Thurgood Marshall was a fierce champion for civil rights, a barrier-breaking public servant and a towering leader who embodied our nation's most cherished values," continued Rep. Kirkpatrick. "Today, I proudly voted to honor his powerful legacy, finally securing his rightful place inside our shrine to democracy. While removing monuments to hate and bigotry will not erase the stains of racism from our nation's past and present, it is a necessary step toward a future built on freedom, justice and equality for all."

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