Texas conservative refuses to support renaming a federal building currently named after a Klansman
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) is refusing to support a bipartisan piece of legislation that would remove the name of a Klansmen from a federal building in Memphis, Tenn.
According to San Antonio Express-News, H.R. 390, which was introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), proposed to remove the late Clifford Davis' from the building. Lawmakers also proposed to replace Davis, described as "a one-time Klansman and lifelong segregationist," with Odell Horton, "the first African American federal judge to serve in the Western District of Tennessee since Reconstruction."
The piece of legislation received overwhelming support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle as well as Davis' descendants. Last year, Davis' family members released a statement to verbalize their support of the effort.
"The current reckoning with our nation's enduring history of racism is long overdue and we support renaming the Clifford Davis-Odell Horton Federal Building to bear Horton's name alone," the family said.
On Thursday, November 4, all 217 Democratic members of the House voted in favor of the bill. On the other side of the aisle 208 Republican lawmakers also voted to support the name change. Only three Republicans opposed the effort; Roy was one of them as he only voted "present."
On the same day, Roy issued a press release appearing to boycott the effort due to his presumed desire to discuss other key issues.
"From this day forward — or at least until the Congress of the United States actually secures our borders, balances our budget, and otherwise stops harming this great country — I will vote present on all bills involving the naming of federal buildings and installations," Roy said his state.
Pivoting from the topic at hand, Roy also took aim at a so-called military "more focused pushing woke ideology than destroying our enemies."
Roy's latest controversial votes come just months after he voted against the passing of a bill to provide $19.1 billion in disaster-relief funding for Texas residents impacted by Hurricane Ida.
