[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11113]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 TAKE DOWN THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG

  (Mr. PRICE of North Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, we have just learned that 
the Interior Appropriations bill will be pulled from the floor today.
  A number of Southern ``irreconcilable'' Republican Members apparently 
planned to vote against the bill, unless it permitted the display of 
the Confederate battle flag in our national parks and permitted vendors 
to sell Confederate souvenirs. This is unbelievable, and I say that as 
a Southern representative.
  It is unbelievable, after the unspeakable tragedy in Charleston and 
the action in the South Carolina Legislature yesterday to remove the 
battle flag from South Carolina's Capitol grounds. But the House 
Republican leadership last night chose to accommodate the Southern 
Republican irreconcilables with an amendment, and now, they are pulling 
the Interior bill, lest the irreconcilables bring it down.
  Mr. Speaker, we shouldn't have to debate whether a symbol of hatred 
and oppression in our Nation's darkest hour should be displayed on 
Federal lands. Is the Republican majority really that out of touch? Let 
us join together to take down that battle flag.

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