Sen. Cory Booker said he will introduce a bill to remove the Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol building.
This follows violent events that took place over the weekend, during which white supremacists gathered at a rally in Charlottesville to oppose the city council's decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, The Hill noted.
Posting on Twitter on Thursday, Booker (D-N.J.) said, "I will be introducing a bill to remove Confederate statues from the US Capitol building. This is just one step. We have much work to do."
The Capitol's Statuary Hall Collection, which is determined by states, houses 12 Confederate statues, The Washington Post noted.
"The Capitol is a place for all Americans to come and feel welcomed, encouraged, and inspired," Booker told CNN. "Confederate statues do the opposite."
Booker explained that these monuments were paying tribute to "treasonous" Americans.
"To millions of Americans, they are painful, injurious symbols of bigotry and hate, celebrating individuals who sought to break our nation asunder and preserve the vile institution of slavery and white supremacy."
Booker's proposal has received support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), according to The Hill, which said the bill would require 60 votes to pass the upper chamber.
The legislation could be introduced after Labor Day when lawmakers return to Washington in September, CNN noted.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called for Republicans to support the removal of the Confederate statues from the Capitol.
"The Confederate statues in the halls of Congress have always been reprehensible," she said, according to USA Today.
"If Republicans are serious about rejecting white supremacy, I call upon Speaker Ryan to join Democrats to remove the Confederate statues from the Capitol immediately."