Bill Summary
This bill aims to replace the current bust of Roger Brooke Taney, a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who is known for authoring the Dred Scott decision which upheld slavery, with a bust of Clarence Thomas, a current Supreme Court Justice. The Joint Committee on the Library is directed to remove the Taney bust within 45 days and obtain a bust of Thomas within 2 years, to be placed in the same location in the Old Supreme Court Chamber at the United States Capitol.
Possible Impacts
1. The legislation could affect people who visit or work in the United States Capitol by changing the bust they see in the Old Supreme Court Chamber.
2. It could also affect the sculptors or artists who are commissioned to create the new bust of Clarence Thomas.
3. The legislation could also affect the budget and allocation of funds for the Joint Committee on the Library, as they will need to obtain and place the new bust in the Capitol.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4216 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4216
To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to replace the bust of
Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United
States Capitol with a bust of Clarence Thomas to be obtained by the
Joint Committee on the Library.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 29, 2021
Mr. Steil (for himself, Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Mr. Loudermilk,
Mr. Grothman, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Wilson of
South Carolina, Ms. Tenney, Mrs. Wagner, Mr. Donalds, Mr. Tiffany, Mr.
Fitzgerald, Mr. Gallagher, and Mr. Armstrong) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration
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A BILL
To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to replace the bust of
Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United
States Capitol with a bust of Clarence Thomas to be obtained by the
Joint Committee on the Library.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REPLACEMENT OF BUST OF ROGER BROOKE TANEY WITH BUST OF
CLARENCE THOMAS.
(a) Removal of Bust of Roger Brooke Taney.--Not later than 45 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Joint Committee on the
Library shall remove the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme
Court Chamber of the United States Capitol.
(b) Replacement With Bust of Clarence Thomas.--
(1) Obtaining bust.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Joint Committee on the
Library shall enter into an agreement to obtain a bust of
Clarence Thomas, under such terms and conditions as the Joint
Committee considers appropriate, consistent with applicable
law.
(2) Placement.--The Joint Committee on the Library shall
place the bust obtained under paragraph (1) in the location in
the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United States Capitol
where the bust of Roger Brooke Taney was located prior to
removal by the Architect of the Capitol under subsection (a).
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