H.R. 3701 – Confederate Monument Removal Act

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 5:51 PM UTC

The Confederate Monument Removal Act would require the removal of any statue in the U.S. Capitol that depicts a person who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America. It changes the definition of "military services" in the law that governs which statues may be displayed, and directs the Architect of the Capitol to identify and take down those statues within 120 days. Removed statues would be sent to the Smithsonian Institution, unless a state that donated the statue asks for it back and pays transport costs. The bill also provides up to $5 million to cover removal and handling costs.

Key Provisions

Amends the definition of "military services" to exclude voluntary Confederate service, making such statues ineligible for display.
Orders the Architect of the Capitol to locate and remove all ineligible statues within 120 days of the law’s enactment.
Requires removed statues to be transferred to the Smithsonian Institution, with states able to reclaim them if they cover transportation costs.
Allows states to replace removed statues by following existing statutory procedures for Capitol artwork.
Allocates $5 million ( $2 million to the Architect of the Capitol, $3 million to the Smithsonian) to fund removal, transport, storage, and display.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Committee on House Administration

September 7, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 7, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Committee on House Administration

September 7, 2017

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 7, 2017

I

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3701

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 7, 2017

Ms. Lee (for herself, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Rush, Mr. Welch, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Butterfield, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Mr. Clay, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Gutiérrez, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Khanna, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Richmond, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Pocan, Mr. McEachin, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Cicilline, Ms. Bass, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Correa, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Evans, Ms. Norton, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Velázquez, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Smith of Washington, and Ms. Wilson of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration

A BILL

To remove all statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in the Capitol of the United States.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Confederate Monument Removal Act.

2.

Requirements and removal procedures

(a)

Requirements

Section 1814 of the Revised Statutes (2 U.S.C. 2131) is amended by inserting (other than persons who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America) after military services.

(b)

Statue removal procedures

(1)

In general

The Architect of the Capitol shall—

(A)

identify all statues on display in the Capitol of the United States that do not meet the requirements of section 1814 of the Revised Statutes (2 U.S.C. 2131), as amended by subsection (a); and

(B)

subject to the approval of the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress, arrange for the removal of each such statue from the Capitol by not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

(2)

Removal and return of statues

(A)

In general

Subject to subparagraph (C), the Architect of the Capitol shall arrange to transfer and deliver any statue that is removed under this subsection to the Smithsonian Institution.

(B)

Storage or display of statues

The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution shall follow the policies and procedures of the Smithsonian Institution, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, regarding the storage and display of any statue transferred under subparagraph (A).

(C)

State requests

A statue provided for display by a State that is removed under this subsection shall be returned to the State, and the ownership of the statue transferred to the State, if the State so requests and agrees to pay any costs related to the transportation of the statue to the State.

(3)

Replacement of statues

A State that has a statue removed under this subsection shall be able to replace such statue in accordance with the requirements and procedures of section 1814 of the Revised Statutes (2 U.S.C. 2131) and section 311 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 (2 U.S.C. 2132).

(4)

Authorization and appropriations

(A)

In general

There are appropriated for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $5,000,000 to carry out this section, including the costs related to the removal, transfer, security, storage, and display of the statues described in paragraph (1)(A), of which—

(i)

$2,000,000 shall be made available to the Architect of the Capitol; and

(ii)

$3,000,000 shall be made available to the Smithsonian Institution.

(B)

Availability

Amounts appropriated under subparagraph (A) shall remain available until expended.