Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson is pushing a measure that would require the Mississippi state flag to be removed from the U.S. Capitol.
The move comes after South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and other top politicians in that state called for the Confederate flag to be removed from the statehouse grounds after nine people were gunned down by a man who posed with the flag and expressed racist sentiments.
Thompson is the sole African-American in the Mississippi Congressional delegation. Mississippi’s state flag depicts the Confederate battle flag in its top left corner, and has come under scrutiny in the wake of debate surrounding the Confederate flag.
“People of goodwill can change it. I’m convinced that if the business community continues to rally around changing certain aspects of the flag all over the country, I’m sure Mississippi will catch the hint and do likewise,” Thompson said. “If Mississippi understands that you are part of the Union and not part of the Confederacy, then we’ll come [up] with another flag.”
He introduced a “privileged resolution” late Wednesday afternoon, and House rules provide that the issue be taken up within two legislative days. The House could choose to pass the resolution or move to table it, and in both cases would require a simple majority vote. Since Democrats are in the minority, most privileged measures are defeated on party-line votes.
But after the shooting in Charleston and the quick reversal of many top GOP leaders in that state on whether it’s still appropriate to fly the Confederate flag, Republicans may decide to back Thompson’s plan.
Most members of Congress display their state flags outside their offices on Capitol Hill, but Thompson, a senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus, does not post his own state’s flag because of its symbolism. Instead, he has the flags of two historically black colleges in addition to the American flag.
Currently, the Mississippi state flag is included with the other 49 state flags lining a tunnel that leads from a House office building to the Capitol.
Thompson said other caucus members are considering other resolutions that would direct the House to remove statues of Confederate war figures that were picked by some Southern states and are displayed in some areas of the Capitol.
Roll Call first reported Thompson was considering a resolution.