No Federal Funding for Confederate Symbols Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 4179 To prohibit the use of Federal funds for Confederate symbols, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AUGUST 9, 2019 Mr. ESPAILLAT (for himself, Mr. EVANS, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. QUIGLEY, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. JACKSON LEE, and Mr. GALLEGO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in ad- dition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Nat- ural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak- er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju- risdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To prohibit the use of Federal funds for Confederate symbols, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘No Federal Funding 4 for Confederate Symbols Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 The Congress finds the following: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:40 Aug 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4179.IH H4179 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 4179 IH (1) The Confederate battle flag is one of the 1 most controversial symbols from U.S. history, signi- 2 fying a representation of racism, slavery, and the op- 3 pression of African Americans. 4 (2) The Confederate flag and the erection of 5 Confederate monuments were used as symbols to re- 6 sist efforts to dismantle Jim Crow segregation, and 7 have become pillars of Ku Klux Klan rallies. 8 (3) There are at least 1,503 symbols of the 9 Confederacy in public spaces, including 109 public 10 schools named after prominent Confederates, many 11 with large African-American student populations. 12 (4) There are more than 700 Confederate 13 monuments and statues on public property through- 14 out the country, the vast majority in the South. 15 These include 96 monuments in Virginia, 90 in 16 Georgia, and 90 in North Carolina. 17 (5) Ten major U.S. military installations are 18 named in honor of Confederate military leaders. 19 These include Fort Rucker (Gen. Edmund Rucker) 20 in Alabama; Fort Benning (Brig. Gen. Henry L. 21 Benning) and Fort Gordon (Maj. Gen. John Brown 22 Gordon) in Georgia; Camp Beauregard (Gen. P.G.T. 23 Beauregard) and Fort Polk (Gen. Leonidas Polk) in 24 Louisiana; Fort Bragg (Gen. Braxton Bragg) in 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:40 Aug 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4179.IH H4179 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 4179 IH North Carolina; Fort Hood (Gen. John Bell Hood) 1 in Texas; and Fort A.P. Hill (Gen. A.P. Hill), Fort 2 Lee (Gen. Robert E. Lee), and Fort Pickett (Gen. 3 George Pickett) in Virginia. 4 SEC. 3. FEDERAL FUNDS RESTRICTION. 5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 6 (c), no Federal funds may be used for the creation, main- 7 tenance, or display, as applicable, of any Confederate sym- 8 bol on Federal public land, including any highway, park, 9 subway, Federal building, military installation, street, or 10 other Federal property. 11 (b) CONFEDERATE SYMBOL DEFINED.—The term 12 ‘‘Confederate symbol’’ includes the following: 13 (1) A Confederate battle flag. 14 (2) Any symbol or other signage that honors 15 the Confederacy. 16 (3) Any monument or statue that honors a 17 Confederate leader or soldier or the Confederate 18 States of America. 19 (c) EXCEPTIONS.—Subsection (a) does not apply— 20 (1) if the use of such funds is necessary to 21 allow for removal of the Confederate symbol to ad- 22 dress public safety; or 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:40 Aug 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4179.IH H4179 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HR 4179 IH (2) in the case of a Confederate symbol created, 1 maintained, or displayed in a museum or educational 2 exhibit. 3 SEC. 4. REDESIGNATION OF MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. 4 (a) REDESIGNATION.—Not later than 1 year after 5 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 6 shall redesignate the following military installations with 7 such designation as the Secretary determines appropriate: 8 (1) Fort Rucker, Alabama. 9 (2) Fort Benning, Georgia. 10 (3) Fort Gordon, Georgia. 11 (4) Camp Beauregard, Louisiana. 12 (5) Fort Polk, Louisiana. 13 (6) Fort Bragg, North Carolina. 14 (7) Fort Hood, Texas. 15 (8) Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. 16 (9) Fort Lee, Virginia. 17 (10) Fort Pickett, Virginia. 18 (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula- 19 tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 20 States to a military installation referred to in subsection 21 (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to such installation 22 as redesignated under such subsection. 23 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:40 Aug 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H4179.IH H4179 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS