Today for testimony in the monumental decision long overdue with race symbols on public land. The Committee Report any oral ngOpening Statements limited to the chair or the Ranking Member or designee this means we can hear from witnesses sooner and keep the schedule. Ask unanimous consent all the members Opening Statements be made part of the recordalemhe submitted by 5 00 p. M. Today or the close of the hearing whichever comes first. Hearing no objection so ordered. Without objection the chair may also declare recess because thereonhaha are votes we will have to breakak for that. Statements or documents or notion motions must be submitted to the electronic repository please note members are responsible for their microphones members can be muted to avoid inadvertent background noise. Anybody in the room today must have a mass covering their mouth and nose with a recommendation from the attending physician requires all gatherings over 16 minutes in length and to maintain the coordinate protect members the chair will now recognize anyone his not wearing a mask. The chair retains the right to recognition was includes the responsibility to maintainai decorum. Thank you for attending the subcommittee. Legislative hearing on three bills to grapple with the ramifications of confederate statues memorials and symbols on public spacesco throughout the country. I like to start by welcoming our sponsors as well as the distinguished panel of witnesses joining us todayay to talk about this critical issue out also like to acknowledge fact there are no republicans on todays agenda and this is a frustration with my colleagues on the other side of the dais. The subcommittee one third hearings have can from republicans we remain committed to haveie opportunities and we are hopeful we can find some consensus on the issues before us today. The National Reckoning on racism precipitated by the tragic murder of george floyd makes it clear todays conversation is not only necessary but longoverdue. I cant imagine more than 150 years after the end of the civil war president lincoln would have still be coming to terms of the legacy of slavery and Racial Discrimination what the confederacy fought to uphold. The least we can do is challenge ourselves with the meaning of the symbols that we choose to display. President trump has defended confederate monuments of our heritage and speaks of that artistic beauty any beauty that may exist in the memorial or statue is irrelevant and it bears mentioning many worked or established decades later at the peak of jim crow as a reminder of the hate and bigotry still permeating society today. As we will hear from Witnesses Today many communities across the country a began treatment statues and other symbols of confederacyd from other public spaces. Been removed but just this month alone 19 have been removed only three were taken down by protesters. I say that not to condone the unsanctioned removal but as a reminder without Community Action they would continue to perpetuate racism and inspire hate on bothsp sides. Especially on public land which often has a racist history of theiria own. This is not a buddy we seeing history. So continue to tell the story of the conflict of the confederacy to take up arms against the United States but we need not glorify the hate and bigotry and tolerance that claims more american lives than any other in us history. The civil war was fought over slavery. We must drive to be better with justice and equity and inclusion in all aspects of our lives. The names is that you should not stop at theat confederacy. Looking forward forest and wilderness areas and mountaintops that clarify individuals for those that have unspeakable atrocities and to invest in the interpretations to ensure history is not lost we are doomed to repeat it. President trump has decided to focus my sending anonymous federal troops into our cities over the objections of local governments and others civic leaders. Together as a society we are still seeking after president weekend second inaugural address only delivered weeks before general lee surrendered and lincolns assassination at for the theater right here in washington dc. The last line of that famous speech he said with malice toward none and charity for all and firmness that god gives us to see g the right lets finish the work to care for him for his widow and orphan. Among ourselves and with peace among all nations we arere still striving for that last piece on for us to move toward that elusive goal and with that i recognize our Ranking Member statement. Ning thank you madam chair for your remarks into our witnesses. The committee has before us, three bills related to monuments includingan symbols associated with the confederacy. Hr 970 by congressman brown from maryland to remove the statue of robert e. Lee from the National Battlefield it was purchased by the National Park service in 2005 and then to remove the statue that was intended that is the source of controversy. Finally the congressman from virginia with those monuments located on federal lands. That legislative process provides a variety of diverse opinions is appropriate about which statue should be on public property. This is an opportunity for a variety of views and im interested to learn those underlying principles to determine what should or should not. I hope we agree that vandalism is never the answer especially with the legal route. With high profile vandalism other acts for example with the abolitionist of Frederick Douglass and then to tear down the statue and decapitated. Fighting during the civil war aand was a fierce opponent of slavery. And the antislavery free soil party. There memorial from George Washington had graffiti with paint and also former president grant who was in the civil war fighting for the union army. Marble and threat to representative democracy. Were lucky to live its even possible to petition our leaders through the process in the day will no longer have the right than america will cease to exist as we know it. The leader of the free world no Nation History has done more to defend the principles for the country but our Founding Fathers understood that our nation was not perfect. From its conception, the preamble to the constitution states in order to form a more Perfect Union. The american experiment in representation democracy always is a work in progress. Founding fathers were not perfect people. None of us are but despite their flaws we should continue to honor them for the feet say undertook to fight for our freedoms and then set up a system and then to discuss those as well as less admirable trait traits. I believe 100 years in our great grandchildren will look back it is a disappointment for some of her actions that may still seem acceptable today. Despite trying her best history doesabay show there is a different paradigm many years down the road. I hope we can Work Together to elevate our Public Discourse with the debate in those public topics. The best part of my job as a member of congress i wish i could get to every american is a day of service in my shoes. Its good to hear and learn from diverse perspectives around the country. Despite my best efforts, i am an old guy and i am 60 coming from the state we need this opportunity to learn and listen i hope his conversationssa to bring us back home together. So the primary goal is to understand on both sides of the aisle to underline that framework if it should remain or be removed and look forward to the Witnesses Today and i yelled back the balance of my time. Turning to our first panel to the members of w congress. May remind the witnesses and the Committee Rules limiting statements to five minutes but the entire statement is in the hearing record. When you have one minute remaining in red when your time is expired. Use the grid view so they can see the tire on their screen after testimony is complete please remember to mute yourself to remove any webackground noise. Also the entire panel testify before the question of witnesses first mr. Brown for five minute minutes. Before you start the clock i each committee is slightly different is it proper when members are witnesses present we can remove our facemask . Okay. Thank you. Make it to the chairwoman and thean Ranking Member thank you for having me here today and including hr 970 for the statue removal act as a part of todays legislative hearing. We want to think our colleagues for their work on this issue we are all incredibly proud to preserve the natural landscape and tapestry ofnt National History and then to move past those injustices to shape the president. The question before us today to remove the Confederate Flag and monuments and to answer this question with the statutes and symbols what they commemorate the leaders and the slavery and open rebellion against the United States of america. Inavav my mind theres only one side of the civil war, the United States and all of those americans north and south but against those who tried to divide our country and perpetuate a system of systemic oppression and racial subjugation. Therefore it is time for these t to come down. They were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by confederate politics segregationist and civil rights. Fighting for as opposed last clause to celebrate those leaders. The heyday in a period that began in 1890 and spanned through 1920 was also a time of extreme racial violence that we saw again during the 19 sixties and seventies when white southerners pushback from what progress is made progress monuments went up women and children were being lynched the monument served as a reminder of the power White Supremacy could exert over black bodies. These monuments became beacons of White Supremacy and symbols of the effort to intimidate black americans and to see themselves as inferior. They do nothing too tedious the stark lessons of history and racist imagination my bill would remove many such works of federal land and robert e. Lee the place are more americans died in a single day was commissioned with the explicit intent to honor the coconfederacy 138 years after the end of the civil war. The 24foot statue is not historically accurate and despite the inscription stating otherwise fighting to preserve the institution of slavery. There is no reason why any nations public spaces should be defiled by monuments by those who betray their country and as a nation we can decide between those figures who deserve to be honored and those who do not. Public land should not be the only symbols that memorialize leaders for this union and oppression. Statues and monuments celebrate those bravebr individuals and true american values. It is not an insult to any state or region it is simply the acknowledgment the cause of slavery was wrong with jim crow and violent resistance a civil rights and economic ucvancement for all people was wrong. There is much more yet to be done we have a long way to go today is an importantgo step towards truly transforming the country for the better and taking a step toward forming a more Perfect Union. Those that are concerned that are destined to relive the history i t simply say the confederacy will continue to be written about and studied as part of the dark history of our nation there are appropriate settings where physical objects are found that insidious effort with slavery we need not honor this was statutes in public spaces like National Parks. Even robert e. Lee oppose the construction of the menu on monuments one year before his deaththrt. He also declined an invitation to attend the event that commemorated a planned memorial at the battle of gettysburg just north of nt devon said we do not keep opening it but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the market then to commit to oblivion than those feelings engendered. Thank you madam chair. Thank you mr. Brown. Gentle lady from the district of columbia. Thank you madam chair. For holding this hearing and your fellow panelist the statute of the confederate general pike from federal land. With the judiciary it was authorized by congress when the district had no government authority. It was constructed using federal and private funds. The freemasons donated the money for much of it that needed to build and install the statue in 18 oh one. And then with their nature they say although the statue was taken down, President Trump called for the statue to be put back up. I think it should be placed in a museum as valuable historical artifacts when combined with the story of our history. And those that were forced to resign and how ultimately was imprisoned after his fellow officers said he misappropriated funds and did that i dishonor even those who want the statues removed and then especially considering this history. After meeting with the freemasons and 2017 come i decided the best direction was to remove a section and find a more appropriate place. And that context is the most appropriate act on option and with the removal ofof the statute in 2017 the dc Council Passed a resolution calling on congress. Later we will hear testimony from the director from the American Civil War museum. And those 245,000 black americans who lost their freedom and members of the United States during the civil war. These brave men fought against me that madam chair i appreciate the hearing and i urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Again. Ou thank you for your testimony know we willth transition to the end panel. Oral statements are limited to five minutes but the entire statement can be made part of the hearing record. After the witnesses have testified. As a descendent of the confederate general robert e. Lee. [inaudible] to the chairwoman and the members of the subcommittee on National Parks. Im here to give testimony hr 970 and the conversation regarding confederate monuments. I could not do this alone without the people along the way. Ay unfaithful to congressman Anthony Brown and from my hometownwn and most importantly my wife stephanie he was at home working but helps to copy edit my testimony. I also want to acknowledge the reason i am here. I am not the first robert lee to testify before the United States congress. One did in 1866 during reconstruction. Indeed another person who has a surname identical to mine and lineage i bear as the nephew of the confederate general robert e. Lee. But i have been clear i do not speak for my family or the general himself some see no hearing for this hearing today instead let the soldier speak for himself as his documented testimony before congress can be found easily in your records. When asked before congress and the country a black american citizens were equally capable of acquiring knowledge as white americans, that robert lee said i do not think he is capable of acquiring knowledge as the white man is. Iow i i have snow and some who could acquire knowledge and their trade or profession but i have servants of my own learn to read and write very well. Latere asked by a senator from missouri is Southern States should allow black america . Leaving mark twain opinion at this time they cannot vote intelligently. Given of the right of suffrage would open the door to great deals of demagogues and a leading to embarrassments. And then to highlight a difference from what this currently is about to say. I fully believe alongi with how stefan other amazing citizens that black lives matter as we continue to experience and previously thought through the north American Continent for those that serve the current rate of oppression . That said the two people who ultimately share that with m me, one was my black nanny in the south in the 19 nineties on dash 19 fifties. And those that experienced racism and weight support supremacy to show the cost of what is deep but it is incredibly good. And to take me i could still help. She implored me in the picture because she saw my wife, my calling is more valuable than the symbols. Im here to say the same is true for all of you. If you are honest than the answer is clear. We cannot remain complicit with these monuments we cannot remain silent anymore. The statue and what it represents must be removed for a more Perfect Union which is inclusive of a better tomorrow and a better united u states. I will close by saying the people and as a president ial historian from kennedy and reagan and obama have declared these United States to a shining city on the hill. Thank you, madam chairperson and Ranking Member curtis. Other members of the subcommittee for this opportunity to discuss the important matter of the confederate symbols, also humbled to be with the other presenters today who have been eloquent. It is indeed a pleasure to be with you this morning and the chairperson said im the president and founder of the e pluribus unum. Also serve for the city of new orleans from 2010 to 2018. The Lieutenant Governor from 2004 to 2010, and had the joy of being in the house of representatives on the state level for 16 years. As many of you know as the mayor i removed for confederate statues from public land. A process that started in 2015 and ended in may of 2017 with the removal of a robert e. Lee statute of the citys most prominent circle. That process helped reintroduce historical facts in the telling of the history of how and why many h of these were put up in e first place. The record is now clear the statues were erected not just to honor these men better part of a movement that has become known as the colt of the lost cause. This had one goal, through monuments and otherer means to rewrite history, to hide the truth pushes that the confederacy was on the wrong side of humanity. It soughtit to continue to opprs black americans and o black liv. James retired professor and author of lies across america what our Historic Sites get wrong succinctly in a Washington Post oped, quote, the confederates won with the pain and the news that they couldnt win on the battlefield. That is the cause of White Supremacy, the dominant understanding of what it is all about. We are digging ourselves out from under this misinformation which isnt in our public monuments andnd history books. According to the work of the center there are some 700 statute erected after the civil war. Buildings, streets and other markets named after the leaders. According to the research, two distinct periods saw a significant rise in the dedication of monuments and symbols. First began around 1900 period states are enacting jim crow laws to disenfranchise africanamericans and to be segregatedri society. This lasted well into the 1920s, a pure code that saw Dramatic Research into the ku klux klan which has been born in the middle and immediate civil war. F the the second began in early 1950s and lasted through the 1960s as the Civil Rights Movement led to a backlash among segregation. These two. Also coincided with the 50th and 100th anniversaries of the civil war. In summary, a group of people got together and decided that they were going to a door in the country with monuments to revere those that fought on behalf of a cause that was lost which they wanted to seem noble. It is a Propaganda Campaign with epicro proportions. They are not just a stone and metal or the remembrances of a benign history. They purposely celebrate and perpetrate fictional confederacy ignoring the death, enslavement and the terror that they actually stood for. The truth is they would fight for the right to own and so black human beings. Ot history cant be changed and moved like a statue. Whats done is done. The confederacy lost and we are all the better for it. But in this come the 23rd of the 21st century, we should debate whether the United States of america should review the confederacy. Its evident that these men didnt i fight for the United States of america. They fought to destroy it. They have been warriors but they certainly were not patriots. Ultimately as a country we must grapple with the simple notion there is a difference between remembrance of history and the of it. Ce reference of it. To literally put the confederacy on a pedestal as an inaccurate depiction of the past. Its an affront to the present him a bad prescriptioin a bad pe future. It ensures all fellow brothers and sistersel once thought must continue. As george w. Bush said at the dedication for the national of l museum of African American history in baltimore, a great nation divided history, it faces its walls and corrects them. Members, you have the opportunity to do your part to correct the past. This is an important but small first step. But close with a plea to collective humanity. I noted in a speech on removing the monument a friend asked me to consider them from the perspective ofe an African American mother or father explaining to their fifthgrade daughter who robert e. Lee is and why he is revered for the statue. Can any of you look in this childs eyes and convince her . Do you think she will feel inspired and hopeful . What they see a limit with no we all know the answers to these simple questions. Simple questions. When you look in this childs eyes at the moment when the truth comes into focus. This is the moment when we know what is right and what we must do. We cannot continue to walk away from this. We must remove the symbols that dirty the soil of our beloved country. Is done, the systems that have divided us by design from the beginning of our belovedhe country. The generations so we can get closer to be the more Perfect Union that we all aspire to be. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. The chair now recognizes doctor frank smith, director of the africanAmerican Civil War museum. Thank you very much, madam chair. My name is frank smith, the founding director of the civil war in washington, d. C. 16 year councilmember in the district of columbia. I come todayay to support hr 41, though to remove a statue in memory and honor. I came today to support this bill becauseay i think monuments occupy public space should be restricted that undermine the core values of american society. Theyll use alternatively discovered a monument or statue in Public Places [inaudible] incumbent upon us to move them to a more appropriate location. To split america in two countries, one slaves and one free. They were left dead on the battlefields of the 13th amendment held by slavery and the 15th amendment that gave the right to vote and the white race and that phrase alone shall govern this country. The [inaudible] establishing the ku klux klan come into service organization. There are many monument to end roads and highways there are white officers to remain loyal to maintain with one nation under god. A few days ago we celebrated the anniversary of the establishment of the africanAmerican Civil War museum in washington, d. C. Chosen as the Inauguration Day for the memorial was also the anniversary in fort wagner about which the movie glory was made. It lists the names of and joined in the fight for freedom. It is built on federal lands and authorized by the bill introduced by our congresswoman ellen r. Holmes norton. The africanAmerican Civil War museums across the street from the monument and an adjacent building would triple the size of the exhibit. One new exhibit will feature two soldiers and the First Lady Michelle Obama whose names were listed on the memorialme wall. We must also commission a sixfoot tall [inaudible] for the memory of president Abraham Lincoln when he is signing the emancipation proclamationti. [inaudible] awaiting final installation later this year. Its available forer public viewing by appointment only. I arrive today to support this bill and in the name of our friend john lewis that although we believe some things undone, so in honor of john lewis and everything he stood for, lets take this monument down. Thank you so much. The chair now recognizes doctor Joseph Laconte of the simon center for american studies at the heritage foundation. The thank you, madam chair and Ranking Member curtiss for inviting me to participate in todays hearing. I think what is happening here in this room is how we in our local can should approach the debate over americas monuments to peaceful, democratic processes. The sins of slavery and racism have left deep scars in the nation as they have in many others throughout history. In the protests that weve witnessed around the country, there are no doubt, many people involved with intentions of those are good and in the words of Abraham Lincoln to bind up the nations wounds, that is a noble goal but there is nothing noble about the unlawful assault on the historic monuments. There is nothing admirable about the violent Office Taking over city streets, destroying businesses and terrorizing civilian, populations. This is not the way to find out the nations wounds. There are forces in this country and the mob mentality in the streets and in the media that seek to be racing to distort and to pervert our history. They want to manipulate the past so they can bring about a future in mind withut their radical, political issues and everyday we are seeing more clearly with the addition looks like on the ground. It represents not only a great law and order, but its also an assault on the ideals and institutions that have sustained our democracy and our civilization over the centuries. It is the mob over the rational democratic debate. How else do we explain the attacks on Christopher Columbus and George Washington, Frederick Douglass, the emancipation statute just down the street in lincoln park. My job as a historian is to try to j understand alito understand the past, the good, the vatican and the ugly. To the mob though, virtually everything in our past is ugly. The product of oppression and racism. To them they will sa say over sr heroes or villains, all of our institutions were simply a social construction to protect the people in power. The problem with this outlook is not only that its cynical and conspiratorial,yn but that it cs us off from our cultural inheritance. To cancel culture in its rage robs us off with lincoln calls the mystic chords of memory. It keeps us from learning about the tragedies and triumphs of our civilization. Our remarkable achievements and bringing out more just and democratic society. The mob mentality prevents us from developing quality of character they most desperately need, gratitude. Theres a lot to be thankful for when we consider the history of the United States in its fullness. As somebody that studie the stun civilization, i can tell you when the United States emerged onto the world stage, we introduced like no one ever attempted to concepts of human freedom, equality and govern and by consent of the governed. And no nation has done more to advance thesene democratic ideas both at home and abroad. That is a profound part of our history and we need to remember it. The story of the nation and civilization will continue to reveal itself as a tragedy and triumph of the war and peacemaking of slavery and freedom, mortal brevity and 30. The mob mentality sees only one thing. It doesnt seem that shining city ona a hill. It sees the dark kingdom out of the binhow tobind up the natione can begin by remembering with honesty and integrity the american declaration of independence for the first time in historyry proclaimed that a nation was coming into existence as a sworn enemy of human slavery, the enemy of human slavery. The American Revolution that the institution on notice ove all or the world. It pays to be numbered and no other Political Revolution in the historyy of mankind ever me such a claim and maybe no civil rights leader does this affect better than reverend doctor Martin Luther king jr. Let me read a few lines from a birmingham jail. One day the south will know that when the states inhibited children of god sat down at the lunch counters in reality they were standing up for what is best in the American Dream into the sacred values in our judeochristian heritage, his words, not mine. Our judeochristiano heritage thereby bringing the nation back to the democracy dug deep by the Founding Fathers in their formulation of the constitution and declaration of independence. You have to admire a man who endured what he endured and refused and what she stood for, doctor king effused to join the mob. The goal of america is freedom he said. In the history of the world, that is quite a story worth remembering and defending. Thanks for listening. The chair now recognizes ms. Christ christie coleman, puc historian. The date could members of the House Committee on natural resources,n thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today about hr 7550 and request of the congressman. I am deeply honored for the opportunity. Iar have to start by saying he studied iisthat even just a fewo found 48 of respondents believed compared to only 38 but noted it as the roott caus. Academic historians long contested states rights argument is deeply intertwined with slavery and it is evident fromma plethora of primary sources. From the time of the 20th century, by the states and localities but for children raised in the south like myself, the united daughters of the confederacy actually said that the learning should be. They issued detailed guidelines for the rejection of any text or books that among other things, quote, calls the confederate soldier a traitor or garbled and a vote for a rebellion that says this wonsaysthe soft tosince th sought to seek her slaves speed to. The earliest monuments and markers were placed in the aftermath to honor the dead. They oversaw 300,000 plus dead in 73 National Cemeteries established for the purpose. The largest cemetery was established at arlington, a plantation of robert e. Lee. When federal troops to the property, they could designate a cemetery in 1864. With the intent to humiliate robert e. Lee, they want to arlington to be a permanent reminder of the carnage brought upon the nation i his decision to wage war against the nation he swore the oath to defend and protect against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Outraged by what they perceived as the union disregard for thesr dead, the societies led by middle to upper class white women organized to rectify the situation. They initially built monuments and cemeteries to serve as reminders of the sacrifices ofin the dead like their counterparts in i the north, but the scale ws broken considerably after reconstruction, each in 77. The construction of statues, monuments and other symbols were on public land after the 1896 plessy v. Ferguson through the resurgence of the ku klux klan 1915. Ine next is the second building occurred between the 1940s and 1960s, coinciding with Southern Resistance to the u. S. Supreme court brown v. Board decision. It was during the period the majority of buildings were renamed for Confederate Military or political figures. They also cannot dismiss the fact the lost cause marriage gained greater validation even before world war iid when the United States made military bases for confederate. The federal government position the naming of the bases as a gesture of reconciliation. Unquestionablunquestionably it t of legitimizing a rebellion against the United States. To be clear, the rejection of this reframing isnt a new phenomena. Public figures and scholars at the time these were being built railed against and in fact amon, the earliest was spoken about in 1877 by Frederick Douglass. He said, quote, we must not be asked to save what is right and the rebellion or the north was wrong. They must not be asked to put between those who fought against the union or against it with royalty and treatment. Societal upheavals of the at50s and 60s also challenged the status quo interpretation of the American Civil War and its enduring legacy as a disenfranchisement of millions of american citizens. For africanamericans, religious and other ethnic minorities, the Confederate Flag has long been and continuesit to be associated with violence inflicted upon them. Throughout the current discussion, one is often repeated and you heard we should erase history by removing these items from the public landscape. The fact is that history was already when these items were either did. Subsequently half of americans remember the civil war is i remembered and interpreted where the entire nation has been skewed. With that said, i doo say this do when asked what they do when thinkindo we do whenthinking abg forward, lets beki clear we should absolutely have monuments reflect our shared values of justiced and equality, but we cn do that if we continue to think that t what they have on the current landscape represents us. Thank you for allowing me time to speak today. Thank you very much, ms. Coleman. Thank you for that testimony, reminding the members of the committee will the chair will recognize members for any questions they may ask the witnesses and i will start with my colleague mr. Hoffman you have five minutes. Thank you very much madam chair for holding this important hearing and thanks to the witnesses for some very powerful testimony. Ive long advocated for the removalte of confederate symbols on our federal land in 2015 and 2016 when i first offered amendments to end the display of confederate battle flags of the nations federal cemeteries managed by the National Park service. It was an uphill battle to get consideration in this house. A divided republican conference so much they literally shut down the appropriations process rather than put the numbers publicly on recormemberspublicle over what they thought about these confederate symbols. They are in a new era today hopefully with john lewiss life and legacy fresh in our mind, and we have seen widespread public support for the removal of confederate statues. Even the pentagon seems to be getting a little bit slow going subjects. So i think it is important to be fully in this decade all aspects of our governments and how in the name of this country we are using confederate symbols including in the capital and military bases and public land is. These bills we are discussing today will continue that momentum for change and im pleased to be part of that. These memorials and statues certainly speak to who we as a to be up for features to do with them now speak to who we are today so again, thanks for a great testimony from the witnesses. And if i could start with reverend lee, thank you so much for doing this. So we dont have to argue dark aspects by walking in the same footsteps as the ancestors who got it wrong and that the great contribution. About the issues involving confederate statues. For me its one of those thingthings both redemption and reconciliation in preparations and acknowledging that for me this isnt about me. I am a white guy that can walk by the statutes and not feel a thing and that is really dangerous in this current climate that i as a person who can just walk by and not feel a thing whereas someone in my community can multiply on the way to go to see the confederae statue and still experience such violence and depression. Thank you for that. Mayor landrieu coming you gave a heckuva speech a couple of years ago when removed the last of the confederate monuments. I will quote if i could, to literally put they were intended to literally put the confederacy on a pedestal in our most prominent places and that is inaccurate. Its an affront and a bad prescription for the future. Could you please explain what you meant when you said confederate statues are in inaccurate representation of the past and in a front to the present. One of the things that was articulated if somehow we work the racing history when in lireality it was only a four years. As you know new orleans was founded in 1718 and celebrated her 100th anniversary. What happened was they only had four years of it and there were no public symbols of all of the other people that helped make it the great multicultural city that she has become so in essence, they took a piece of property and they took off our history and they tried to communicate to people but that was what they were. I think that his historical malfeasance. People say we should add to what it is they have, but if that is true, why has that everr been done. And why are those promises rather than to try to lift it up. Which is why the people of new orleans food to allow me to usee my authority. Thank you to the witnesses and to the chair for this important discussion. I yield back. The chair recognizes rankingch member curtis. Thank you, madam chair. Id like to think the witnesses. Doctor laconte, have a couple of questions for you. I want to preface with this. I truly hope no one will interpret from my line of questioning thatwi i oppose the bill before us today. I support toughening, and i think these are important conversations we are having, but i do continue to ask what our standard is and how do we know when we cross that standard and how do we not know. I rememberar very clearly we wee considering the preservation act, and i pointed out to theire were controversial figures like fidel castro and they asked the deputy secretary to comment on the National ParkService Agenda to try to represent all people give to this concern them. The response was within the parks, we telle a lot of stories and demonstrate a lot of images and narratives prove educational interpretation we are able to provide them with a better understanding of where those images exist and why this exact statues exist and to develop theird own thought they are looking at. The majority of the witnesses on the bill have similar questions that i asked her to help me understand the possible comparisons adjusted a statues. She said there was little need for concern because theres mors more than 100 euros in the park and they were only a two featuring controversial people. We use the same model, which i think we showed it to be consistent. Thank you Ranking Member its a great question i will take a stab at it. One of my real concerns is a level of civic illiteracy not even knowing what it was about the First World War and Second World War so on one level you can say it could be a teaching moment how do you decide which should be publicly displayed . In terms of monuments that is honoring the individual is one thing whos do we want to honor those who are defending the democratic principles we all agreed to have freedom and equality if the individuals a defender of those principles then surely we do i dont know the answer to take them out of the Public Square but certainly give them Historical Context to use that as a teaching moment that level of civil ignorance is appalling so if the ordinary a person cannot even name from surveys of the three branches of government that we dont want to see that happen we are with the risk of that so contextualize instead of removing them from site teach with integrity would be mind one would be mine. I have a lot of sympathy with those statues are very offensive and in my opening remarks i dont mind to bring this up again growing up as a white male in utah in the sixties and seventies i am part of the ignorance of the civil war this is been very educational for me and im trying with a sincere heart to understand the issues to have thoughtful dialogue about this and sometimes is dangerous you dont feel like you could even ask questions psyche time them to have thoughtful conversations that are safe without seeming like we were trying to be problematic or racist i yield my time. The chairra recognizes mr. Dingell. Thank you mad at chair so to discuss the nations heritage currently over 1700 confederate symbols to promote for all americans. Placing scrutiny on americas public lands and then following that bipartisan the states remove that confederate symbol of unity rather than division so its my hope they take this moment in time and history to bring it together as americans to sanitize racism so let me start with one of myrt favorite people that you mentioned in your testimony what was the purpose of building these monuments long after the civil war . I was just told a moment ago people are ignorant they think when in fact in the 18 nineties they have not stopped to being erected from a few years ago these were all part of an effort to rewrite history that was an effort to make it noble and really was a propaganda case and that was intended to rewrite history and as a consequence i cannot thinkt of another country that has those who fought clearly there was the difference and we should never forget the r civil war those who fight on behalf of the civil war and why they did it to put them in places of reference and to be anti pedicle not only decency but a Historical Perspective thats why you can correct those errors clearly we want to remember for the right reasons so that we can iactually do it again. Before we come to this moment in time those places throughout the city how did this help the city . The reason we did it looking forward with the 300th anniversary after it was destroyed by katrina we didnt want to put the city back like it was we wanted to take an honest look at the past to build the city we should have been had we got it right the first time. When we did that with that deep dive we came to a reckoning we were not living by thewe words to be part of the american landscape for the more Perfect Union and then to present itself if new orleans ever wanted to become the city that promise she could be where diversity they didnt believe out of many we are one. But we did have a public hearing the third branch we actually went through 13 separate judges in the federal government so we went to the agonizing process to get to the other side and as a consequence the people have a much deeper understanding of where we want to go and to be committed. Thats the lesson we could use. It has come to my attention members have to vote on the floor. Was hoping we could avoid that but i am running out of time i apologize for the inconvenience the subcommittee is inn recess we will reconvene as soon as i get back from. Voting. [inaudible conversations]