Today Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announced they have cosponsored Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) amendment to the National Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to remove the congressionally-mandated renaming of names of military bases and installations, instead creating a one-year commission with public input to determine the best path forward.
The Hawley Amendment will:
- Remove language requiring the Department of Defense (DoD) to rename military installations that are named after Confederate officers.
- Direct a Commission to work closely with state and local stakeholders to nominate installation names or other references to the Confederacy for removal from DoD installations, including by holding public hearings on any proposed criteria or recommendations for removal.
- Require the Commission to report to Congress on its efforts, so that Congress can ensure state and local input is substantially reflected in the Commission’s final recommendations.