H.R. 8095: REFUSE Confederate Principles Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-08-22 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-08-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

REFUSE Confederate Principles Act

Plain summary

Rejecting and Eliminating the Foul Use of Symbols Exulting Confederate Principles Act or the REFUSE Confederate Principles Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish, within the National Park Service (NPS), a program to be known as the Emancipation Historic Preservation Program to award grants to states and other eligible entities to remove a Confederate symbol; remove and replace a Confederate symbol with an alternative monument, memorial, statue, commemorative structure, symbol, or signage; remove and replace a Confederate symbol with an alternative monument, memorial, statue, commemorative structure, symbol, or signage to commemorate or depict the freedom of enslaved African Americans; and remove and transfer a Confederate symbol to a state historic preservation program. Interior shall also provide technical assistance to eligible entities related to these activities. None of the funds made available by this bill may be used by Interior, the NPS, or an eligible entity for the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, reconstruction, or new construction of a Confederate symbol.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

REFUSE Confederate Principles Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1] · 14 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Darren Soto (D-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), André Carson (D-IN)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr8095.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr8095 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116