Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017

Floor Speech

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Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am pleased to offer this amendment to the 2017 MILCON-VA spending bill, and to stand today with my colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego), who has offered a stand-alone bill on this same subject, along with our colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).

Last year, we all remember the tragic shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and how it reopened a painful but necessary national conversation about symbols like the Confederate battle flag that represent racism, slavery, and division.

Rightfully, leaders in South Carolina and other Southern States, Democrats and Republicans alike, joined together to call on their States to end the display of the Confederate battle flag on government property.

The Confederate battle flag, a symbol of hate and opposition to the United States of America, has no place, no place on government property, especially not at VA cemeteries, a place where families and loved ones go to pay respect to our Nation's veterans.

Over 150 years ago, slavery was abolished. Why in the year 2016 are we still condoning displays of this hateful symbol on our sacred national cemeteries?

Symbols like the Confederate battle flag have meaning. They are not just neutral, historical symbols of pride. They represent slavery, oppression, lynching, and hate.

To continue to allow national policy condoning the display of this symbol on Federal property is wrong, and it is disrespectful to what our country stands for and what our veterans fight for.

Mr. Chairman, it is past time to end the public promotion of this cruel, racist legacy of the Confederacy. So let us move forward in a direction of reconciliation, unity, and justice.

Symbols matter. Even General Robert E. Lee recognized that symbols of the Confederacy are symbols of treason, which is why he asked that they not appear at his funeral.

The United States House of Representatives, in 2016, should be at least as forward-looking as Robert E. Lee was in 1869.

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Mr. HUFFMAN. I reserve a point of order.

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Mr. HUFFMAN. On the point of order?

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Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, my point is that the House of Representatives, in 2016, should be at least as forward-looking as General Robert E. Lee was in 1869.

Let us do the right thing tonight in this House, and let's do it together, on a bipartisan basis.

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Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order.
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Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I request an ``aye'' vote, and I respectfully yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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