[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 22, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petition or memorial was laid before the Senate and was 
referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-4. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Michigan requesting the Joint Committee on 
     the Library of Congress approve the replacement of Michigan's 
     statue of Lewis Cass with a statue of Coleman A. Young as 
     part of the National Statuary Hall Collection and to take 
     other actions related to this request; to the Committee on 
     Rules and Administration.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 23

       Whereas, Congress authorized the creation of the National 
     Statuary Hall Collection in 1864 to provide an opportunity 
     for each state to honor two distinguished people with statues 
     at the U.S. Capitol. Currently, Lewis Cass and Gerald Ford 
     represent the state of Michigan in the collection. The 
     statues were placed in the U.S. Capitol in 1889 and 2011, 
     respectively; and
       Whereas, Federal law establishes a process by which states 
     may request the replacement of a statue located in the 
     National Statuary Hall Collection. The first step in the 
     process is the state legislature adopting a resolution 
     identifying the statue to replace and the person to be 
     honored with a new statue; selecting the entity responsible 
     for choosing the sculptor, and directing the method of 
     obtaining funds to cover the necessary costs of the 
     replacement. Federal law also requires that the state's 
     governor submit a written request to provide a new statue to 
     the Architect of the Capitol along with a description of the 
     location in the state where the replacement statue will be 
     displayed after it is transferred, and a copy of the 
     resolution authorizing the replacement; and
       Whereas, A statue of Lewis Cass was placed in the U.S. 
     Capitol on behalf of Michigan in the late 19th century in 
     recognition of his service to the state of Michigan and 
     United States. Lewis Cass served as a Governor of the 
     Michigan territory, U.S. Senator from Michigan, U.S. 
     Secretary of War, U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Ambassador 
     to France during his career; and
       Whereas, Honoring Lewis Cass with a statue in the National 
     Statuary Hall Collection is no longer consistent with the 
     values of the people of Michigan. While Lewis Cass was an 
     accomplished public figure, he played a prominent role in the 
     implementation of President Andrew Jackson's Indian removal 
     policy, was a proponent of allowing states and territories to 
     permit slavery, and enslaved at least one person himself; and
       Whereas, Coleman A. Young was the first African-American 
     mayor of Detroit and one of the most accomplished leaders in 
     Michigan's largest city's history. Young served his country 
     as a bombardier and navigator with the Tuskegee Airmen during 
     World War II. He demonstrated an early interest in justice 
     and fairness, spearheading a protest against the exclusion of 
     Blacks from segregated officers' clubs. Young became a union 
     activist after the war and was elected to the Michigan 
     Senate, serving for nine years. The people of Detroit elected 
     him as their mayor for the first time in 1973, reelecting him 
     four times over the next two decades. Young was known for 
     championing needs of the city's Black community and for 
     building coalitions among its business leaders. Under his 
     leadership, the city saw the completion of a number of major 
     projects, such as the Renaissance Center, Detroit People 
     Mover, and Joe Louis Arena. Young's contributions to the city 
     of Detroit our entire state make him deserving of a place in 
     the National Statutory Hall Collection; and
       Whereas, The Michigan Statuary Hall Commission will select 
     the sculptor and secure funding for this project, now, 
     therefore, be it Resolved by The Senate (The House of 
     Representatives Concurring), That we request the Joint 
     Committee on the Library of Congress approve the replacement 
     of Michigan's statue of Lewis Cass with a statue of Coleman 
     A. Young as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That we urge the Governor to communicate approval 
     of this replacement to the Architect of the Capitol and to 
     sign an agreement with the Architect of the Capitol to 
     replace the Lewis Cass statue with one of Coleman A. Young; 
     and he it further
       Resolved, That we hereby establish the Michigan Statuary 
     Hall Commission. The commission will select an artist to 
     sculpt the statue of Coleman A. Young. The commission shall 
     be made up of five members, with one member appointed by each 
     of the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
     the Senate Majority Leader, the House Minority Leader, and 
     the Senate Minority Leader; and be it further
       Resolved, That the costs of this entire project, including 
     the costs of creating, transporting, and placing both statues 
     at their respective locations and the costs related to 
     ceremonies that may be held in Lansing and Washington, D.C., 
     will be paid for by donations and other funding secured by 
     the Michigan Statuary Hall Commission; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the Governor, the Architect of the Capitol, the President of 
     the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan 
     congressional delegation, and the members of the Joint 
     Committee on the Library of Congress.

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