[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4179 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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. 
 Velazquez, 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 addition to the 
Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction 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 Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``No Federal Funding for Confederate 
Symbols Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Confederate battle flag is one of the most 
        controversial symbols from U.S. history, signifying a 
        representation of racism, slavery, and the oppression of 
        African Americans.
            (2) The Confederate flag and the erection of Confederate 
        monuments were used as symbols to resist efforts to dismantle 
        Jim Crow segregation, and have become pillars of Ku Klux Klan 
        rallies.
            (3) There are at least 1,503 symbols of the Confederacy in 
        public spaces, including 109 public schools named after 
        prominent Confederates, many with large African-American 
        student populations.
            (4) There are more than 700 Confederate monuments and 
        statues on public property throughout the country, the vast 
        majority in the South. These include 96 monuments in Virginia, 
        90 in Georgia, and 90 in North Carolina.
            (5) Ten major U.S. military installations are named in 
        honor of Confederate military leaders. These include Fort 
        Rucker (Gen. Edmund Rucker) in Alabama; Fort Benning (Brig. 
        Gen. Henry L. Benning) and Fort Gordon (Maj. Gen. John Brown 
        Gordon) in Georgia; Camp Beauregard (Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard) 
        and Fort Polk (Gen. Leonidas Polk) in Louisiana; Fort Bragg 
        (Gen. Braxton Bragg) in North Carolina; Fort Hood (Gen. John 
        Bell Hood) in Texas; and Fort A.P. Hill (Gen. A.P. Hill), Fort 
        Lee (Gen. Robert E. Lee), and Fort Pickett (Gen. George 
        Pickett) in Virginia.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL FUNDS RESTRICTION.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (c), no Federal 
funds may be used for the creation, maintenance, or display, as 
applicable, of any Confederate symbol on Federal public land, including 
any highway, park, subway, Federal building, military installation, 
street, or other Federal property.
    (b) Confederate Symbol Defined.--The term ``Confederate symbol'' 
includes the following:
            (1) A Confederate battle flag.
            (2) Any symbol or other signage that honors the 
        Confederacy.
            (3) Any monument or statue that honors a Confederate leader 
        or soldier or the Confederate States of America.
    (c) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) does not apply--
            (1) if the use of such funds is necessary to allow for 
        removal of the Confederate symbol to address public safety; or
            (2) in the case of a Confederate symbol created, 
        maintained, or displayed in a museum or educational exhibit.

SEC. 4. REDESIGNATION OF MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.

    (a) Redesignation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall redesignate the 
following military installations with such designation as the Secretary 
determines appropriate:
            (1) Fort Rucker, Alabama.
            (2) Fort Benning, Georgia.
            (3) Fort Gordon, Georgia.
            (4) Camp Beauregard, Louisiana.
            (5) Fort Polk, Louisiana.
            (6) Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
            (7) Fort Hood, Texas.
            (8) Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.
            (9) Fort Lee, Virginia.
            (10) Fort Pickett, Virginia.
    (b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
document, paper, or other record of the United States to a military 
installation referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a 
reference to such installation as redesignated under such subsection.
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