Controversy Erupts Over Removal of Confederate Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery

A group of GOP lawmakers, led by Rep. Andrew Clyde, is demanding that the Pentagon halt the removal of a Confederate memorial, known as the Reconciliation Monument, from Arlington National Cemetery. The monument was slated for removal by the Pentagon's Naming Commission, which is responsible for renaming and removing military installations named after the Confederacy. The lawmakers argue that the memorial symbolizes American unity after the Civil War and that its removal would desecrate the graves of Confederate soldiers buried there. They are calling for the process to be paused until Congress can agree on a funding deal, and have introduced an amendment to the defense spending bill to stop the statue's removal altogether. The Pentagon is currently facing a lawsuit over the statue's removal.