WASHINGTON — It's been 155 years since the end of the Civil War, but the battle continues on Capitol Hill.
At issue now: the ten U.S. Army posts named after Confederate officers, including the three here in Virginia.
The House Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Subcommittee have voted to block funding for construction projects at bases named after Confederate leaders unless the properties are in the process of being renamed.
"The bill also includes a new provision to prohibit military construction projects on installations named for Confederate officers who led and waged an armed rebellion against the United States, until a process has been initiated to replace the names of those installations," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida).
Of course, support for the idea was not unanimous. Texas Republican John Carter, whose district includes Fort Hood, opposed the withholding of funds.
"Because this provision unfairly punishes our men and women in uniform," he said. "This provision would only hurt soldiers."
The debate over Confederate names and symbols was reignited last month amid nationwide protests and civil unrest over racial injustice sparked by the death of George Floyd.
President Donald J. Trump has threatened to veto the overall National Defense Authorization Act if it requires the bases to be renamed, but both the House and Senate have included such a requirement in their versions of the NDAA.
The President tweeted last month: "My administration will not even consider the renaming of these magnificent and fabled military installations."