S. 3957 – Confederate Monument Removal Act

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 12:58 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. It changes the definition of who qualifies for display under existing law, orders the Architect of the Capitol to take the statues down within 120 days, and sends them to the Smithsonian or back to the donating state. The bill also provides $5 million to cover removal, transport, and storage costs.

Key Provisions

Amends the definition in 2 U.S.C. 2131 to exclude people who voluntarily served the Confederacy from being eligible for Capitol display.
Directs the Architect of the Capitol to identify and remove all such statues within 120 days of the law’s enactment, subject to Joint Committee on the Library approval.
Requires removed statues to be transferred to the Smithsonian Institution, unless a state requests their return and covers transportation costs.
Allows states to replace removed statues following the same statutory requirements that apply to new Capitol statues.
Allocates $5 million for the removal process—$2 million for the Architect of the Capitol and $3 million for the Smithsonian Institution.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Rules and Administration Committee

June 12, 2020

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

June 12, 2020

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Rules and Administration Committee

June 12, 2020

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued June 12, 2020

II

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3957

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 12, 2020

Mr. Booker (for himself, Ms. Harris, Ms. Warren, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Markey, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Brown, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Coons, and Mr. Heinrich) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and 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, 2020, 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.