Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said he is planning to introduce a bill that would require Confederate monuments be removed from the U.S. Capitol.
“This is just one step. We have much work to do,” he tweeted Wednesday night.
I will be introducing a bill to remove Confederate statues from the US Capitol building. This is just one step. We have much work to do.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) August 17, 2017
Booker joins other lawmakers on the state and local level who have pushed for the removal of Confederate monuments following the violent protest in Charlottesville over the weekend, which began in protest over the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe requested Wednesday the removal of Confederate monuments in Virginia.
“Unfortunately, the recent events in Charlottesville demonstrate that monuments celebrating the leadership of the Confederacy have become flashpoints for hatred, division and violence,” McAuliffe said in a statement.
“I hope we can all now agree that these symbols are a barrier to progress, inclusion and equality in Virginia and, while the decision may not be mine to make, I believe the path forward is clear,” he added.
Additionally, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper from North Carolina called for the removal of Confederate monuments on Tuesday.
“We cannot continue to glorify a war against the United States of America fought in the defense of slavery,” Cooper said. “These monuments should come down.”
Confederate monuments have also been removed from Baltimore, Md. this week.
