House votes to restrict Confederate flag at veterans cemeteries

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives handed a big win to those who want to remove the Confederate flag from public places.

The House voted with bipartisan support to ban flying the flag in all Veterans Affairs-operated cemeteries.

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"The flag has been turned into the most vicious symbol of racism and prejudice in the whole world," said Rep. David Scott, D-Georgia.

The bill restricts flying full-sized Confederate flags on flagpoles above cemeteries, but would still allow families to place small flags by graves twice a year.

A similar effort last summer after the deadly shooting at a Charleston, South Carolina church never got a vote in the House.

"Last year it stopped the appropriations process in its tracks," said Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.  But this year, he said, "People are going to have to take tough votes."

The bill doesn't ban the Confederate flag from all federal lands or all cemeteries. It only deals with VA-run cemeteries. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, wrote the bill and said he may look to do more in the future.

"I'll look at all the appropriation bills and see in what ways is our government continuing to accommodate and facilitate these Confederate flag displays," Huffman said.

Some 158 Republicans and one Democrat voted against banning the Confederate flag from cemeteries.

The bill still needs approval from the Senate.

Cox Media Group