On the recordJuly 7, 2015
The tragic shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, has forced a national conversation about symbols like the Confederate battle flag that represent racism, slavery, and division. Now, like you, I applaud leaders in South Carolina and other Southern States, both Democrat and Republican, who have called on their States to end the display of the Confederate flag on government property, including State houses and license plates. With the consideration of the Interior Appropriations bill, this House now has an opportunity to add its voice by ending the promotion of the cruel, racist legacy of the Confederacy. The National Park Service has asked its gift shops, bookstores, and other concessionaires to voluntarily end the sale of standalone items, such as flags, pins, and belt buckles that contain imagery of the Confederate flag. While many concessionaires have agreed to do this, I am dismayed by reports that some will continue to sell items with Confederate flag imagery. This amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill would end these sales. It would prevent the National Park Service from allowing the continued promotion of the Confederacy through these symbols. Major American retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and eBay are already taking their own steps to ban sales of this type of merchandise, and we now have an obligation to ensure that the Federal agencies that we oversee act with the same moral clarity. Mr. Chairman, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.
