senate concurrent resolution no. 23
Senators Hollier, Bullock, Alexander, McMorrow, Polehanki, Bayer, Santana, Moss, McCann, Chang, Wojno, Geiss, Hertel, Brinks, Ananich and Irwin offered the following concurrent resolution:
Whereas, Congress authorized the creation of the National Statuary Hall Collection in 1864 to provide an opportunity for each state to honor two distinguished people with statues at the U.S. Capitol. Currently, Lewis Cass and Gerald Ford represent the state of Michigan in the collection. The statues were placed in the U.S. Capitol in 1889 and 2011, respectively; and
Whereas, Federal law establishes a process by which states may request the replacement of a statue located in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The first step in the process is the state legislature adopting a resolution identifying the statue to replace and the person to be honored with a new statue; selecting the entity responsible for choosing the sculptor; and directing the method of obtaining funds to cover the necessary costs of the replacement. Federal law also requires that the state's governor submit a written request to provide a new statue to the Architect of the Capitol along with a description of the location in the state where the replaced statue will be displayed after it is transferred, and a copy of the resolution authorizing the replacement; and
Whereas, A statue of Lewis Cass was placed in the U.S. Capitol on behalf of Michigan in the late 19th century in recognition of his service to the state of Michigan and United States. Lewis Cass served as a Governor of the Michigan territory, U.S. Senator from Michigan, U.S. Secretary of War, U.S. Secretary of State, and U.S. Ambassador to France during his career; and
Whereas, Honoring Lewis Cass with a statue in the National Statuary Hall Collection is no longer consistent with the values of the people of Michigan. While Lewis Cass was an accomplished public figure, he played a prominent role in the implementation of President Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy, was a proponent of allowing states and territories to permit slavery, and enslaved at least one person himself; and
Whereas, Coleman A. Young was the first African-American mayor of Detroit and one of the most accomplished leaders in Michigan's largest city's history. Young served his country as a bombardier and navigator with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. He demonstrated an early interest in justice and fairness, spearheading a protest against the exclusion of Blacks from segregated officers' clubs. Young became a union activist after the war and was elected to the Michigan Senate, serving for nine years. The people of Detroit elected him as their mayor for the first time in 1973, reelecting him four times over the next two decades. Young was known for championing needs of the city's Black community and for building coalitions among its business leaders. Under his leadership, the city saw the completion of a number of major projects, such as the Renaissance Center, Detroit People Mover, and Joe Louis Arena. Young's contributions to the city of Detroit and our entire state make him deserving of a place in the National Statutory Hall Collection; and
Whereas, The Michigan Statuary Hall Commission will select the sculptor and secure funding for this project; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we request the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress approve the replacement of Michigan's statue of Lewis Cass with a statue of Coleman A. Young as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection; and be it further
Resolved, That we urge the Governor to communicate approval of this replacement to the Architect of the Capitol and to sign an agreement with the Architect of the Capitol to replace the Lewis Cass statue with one of Coleman A. Young; and be it further
Resolved, That we hereby establish the Michigan Statuary Hall Commission. The commission will select an artist to sculpt the statue of Coleman A. Young. The commission shall be made up of five members, with one member appointed by each of the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Majority Leader, the House Minority Leader, and the Senate Minority Leader; and be it further
Resolved, That the costs of this entire project, including the costs of creating, transporting, and placing both statues at their respective locations and the costs related to ceremonies that may be held in Lansing and Washington, D.C., will be paid for by donations and other funding secured by the Michigan Statuary Hall Commission; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Architect of the Capitol, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, and the members of the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress.