Press Releases

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) released the following statement today calling upon elected officials in Florida to enter a special legislative session to replace a Confederate statue in the U.S. Capitol:

"While the events in Charlottesville represent our nation’s original sin, we know these hateful acts do not define who we are as a country. We must denounce white supremacy and domestic terrorism and stand up for love and compassion – not just with our words, but with our deeds.

Shamefully, a statue of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith currently represents the state of Florida in National Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol. Despite last year’s decision by the Florida legislature to remove the statue, Republican majorities in the Florida House and Senate have refused to hear legislation to select a replacement, leaving in a place of honor, a statue that symbolizes a painful, disgraceful legacy.

It’s time to stop playing games. No family visiting our nation’s Capitol should have to explain to their child that the statue representing our state honors someone who fought for a philosophy built on hatred and oppression. Governor Scott and the Florida legislature must take immediate action by calling a one-day special session during their upcoming interim committee meetings to pass a bill with one of the three recommendations from the committee established by law: Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, Mary McLeod Bethune or George Washington Jenkins. These three Floridians represent the best of the history of our state. The removal of the Confederate statue must be made an urgent priority."

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