Rep. Peter Welch says the time has come to take down all statues of Confederate military leaders throughout the country.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump said he opposed the removal of these statues because they represent an important part of U.S. history.
Last weekend, a group of neo-Nazis and white supremacists protested the proposed removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia. The protest led to violence and the death of one of the civil rights activists who supported taking the monument down.
Welch says these statues need to be removed because they've become symbols of hatred.
"What we're seeing with these monuments now is it’s not so much a historical artifact, it’s a place where folks who want to advocate to turn the clock back are using them as an opportunity to fight for what are essentially white supremacist views,” said Welch.
Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders say they also support the removal of these statues.
