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Washington, D.C.  -- Today, Representatives Donald McEachin (D-VA-4) and Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) issued the following statement, applauding the unanimous vote by the Commission for Historical Statues in the United States Capitol recommending the removal of the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee from National Statuary Hall.

"The past few months have laid bare to the nation just how far we have to go in addressing the deeply-rooted ills of racism and white supremacy in our society — beginning with an honest reckoning with our brutal history and recognizing the symbols of the Confederacy for the outdated, racist relics of the past that they are.

"In December, we wrote to Governor Northam calling for the replacement of Virginia’s statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee housed in the National Statuary Hall, knowing that as Virginians, we have a responsibility to not only learn from but also confront our history.

"Today, the Commonwealth of Virginia has made it resoundingly clear that Virginia will no longer participate in perpetuating a revisionist history that is incompatible with Virginian values. 

"We applaud the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Commission for their dedication to this effort, and we look forward to the replacement of this monument with a deserving figure who will tell a more complete story of our Commonwealth that all Virginians can take pride in."

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