By JENNIFER STEINHAUER and JONATHAN WEISMAN
JULY 9, 2015

WASHINGTON — Republican leaders on Thursday abruptly yanked an environmental spending bill from the House floor before a final vote amid a storm of protest over an amendment that would have allowed Confederate flags at federal cemeteries. The action came hours after South Carolina lawmakers voted to remove the Confederate battle flag from the State Capitol’s grounds.

Only the day before, Republicans had assented to Democratic amendments to an appropriations bill that would remove the flag from federal sites and gift shops.

But at the request of several Southern lawmakers, Republicans reversed themselves, and offered an amendment to allow the flag placement. A vote on that amendment had been expected Thursday afternoon. The National Park Service, which has permitted the placement of Confederate flags on graves, had already begun to direct staff to remove them ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/10/us/republicans-back-down-on-confederate-flags-at-us-cemeteries.html?_r=0

And by my House rep, Betty McCollum, MN CD-4!

C'est pour rire!

of House Republicans are eager to protect the status of the Confederate flag on National Park Service grounds," said Earnest. "These are the same House Republicans who voted for a party leader who once described himself as 'David Duke without the baggage,' he said, referring to House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), and then taking a shot at Donald Trump's recent offensive remarks about immigrants. "These are the same congressional Republicans who have declined to criticize the race-baiting rhetoric of a leading Republican presidential candidate. So when you hear me say that congressional Republicans have an agenda that is out of step with the vast majority of Americans, this record, at least in part, is what I'm referring to," said Earnest ...

White House Trashes House GOP's Push To Protect Confederate Flag
Posted: 07/09/2015 2:13 pm EDT Updated: 28 minutes ago
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/09/white-house-confederate-flag-gop_n_7763710.html

P-Yewww!

Best news on DU today, by far! Major PWNage.

By Allison Sherry
JULY 9, 2015 — 12:58PM

... McCollum, who represents St. Paul, said that her "no" vote on the Interior spending bill, which she says "panders to polluters," shifted to "hell no" after Republicans late Wednesday offered up amendments to allow the Confederate flag be flown in national parks ...

"Last night, when Republican leadership put forward a last-minute amendment that would allow for the display and sale of confederate flags in the national parks ... which invokes memories of racism and a painful period in our country's past, I found myself shocked, outraged and disappointed," she said, in a speech on the House floor Thursday. "The people in Minnesota sent me here to strive for what they strive for every day: to build a better, stronger America" ...

http://www.startribune.com/amid-rep-mccollum-s-outrage-confederate-flag-blows-up-spending-bill-for-interior-department/312915131/

July 09, 2015, 02:13 pm
By Cristina Marcos

... Pelosi's resolution would have forced Mississippi's state flag, which includes the Confederate flag, to be removed from the House side of the Capitol.

After Pelosi offered the resolution, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) immediately moved to refer the measure to the House Administration Committee for further review.

Democrats shouted their disapproval to drown out all other sound in the House chamber.

“Vote! Vote! Vote!” they chanted ...

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/247397-house-punts-again-on-confederate-flag

She's taken a lot of crap from a lot of people, most of whom have forgotten her efforts in many situations that have led to progress. She still wields considerable power in the Republican-controlled House, though, and is still doing good there.

This is an important thread.

much Republicans - the people who claim to love America more than anyone else - lend support to the deadliest traitors in American history. Dems need to start calling them out on that bullshit.

By Devin Henry - 07/09/15 06:11 PM EDT

... Existing National Park Service policy already prevents the Confederate flag from being flown on any cemetery flag pole on its grounds ... There are 18 Confederate graves at Poplar Grove Cemetery in Virginia, nine at Gettysburg Cemetery in Pennsylvania, two each at Shiloh Cemetery in Tennessee and Mississippi’s Vicksburg Cemetery, and only one at Andersonville Cemetery in Georgia ... On Tuesday, the House approved by voice vote an amendment to ban any Confederate flag at NPS cemeteries, even in Southern states on days commemorating the Confederates ... Republican aides acknowledged that several Republican members had opposed the Democrats’ Confederate flag amendments and threatened to undermine the full Interior spending measure unless they got the chance to vote against them ...

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/247450-five-things-to-know-about-the-confederate-flag-and-national