The House says ‘NO’ to Confederate flag over federal veteran’s cemeteries

The U.S. House of Representatives recently voted to ban the Confederate flag on flagpoles at federal veteran’s cemeteries.

Currently there is a provision for descendants, and others, to fly the Confederate flag on two designated days a year to commemorate veterans of the Confederate States of America.

The symbolic prohibition was drafted by Democrat Jared Huffman (Calif.) and rendered a 265-159 decision in favor of the prohibition.

The amendment wouldn’t apply to small Confederate flags placed on individual graves; it is intended to bar the Confederate flag from flying over mass graves. The flying of the Confederate flag at federal veteran’s cemeteries is permitted on Memorial Day as well as the Confederate Memorial Day in states thatparticipate in its observance.

According to an AP article, Top House GOP leaders such as Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and GOP Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana voted with Democrats to approve the amendment. Republicans also stated thatthat the Mississippi State Flag, which contains Confederate imagery, will not be returned to a House hallway where it was displayed prior to a recent renovation.

Huffman,has gone on record saying, "Symbols like the Confederate battle flag have meaning. They are not just neutral, historical symbols of pride. They represent slavery, oppression, lynching and hate.”He went on to say, "To continue to allow national policy condoning the display of this symbol on Federal property is wrong, and it is disrespectful to what our country stands for and what our veterans fight for."