Transcript of Pelosi Remarks at Press Conference Celebrating Passage of Legislation to Place Statues of Supreme Court Justices Ginsburg and O’ Connor in the Capitol

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representative Lois Frankel to celebrate a new law that will install statues of trailblazing Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O'Connor in the United States Capitol. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

Speaker Pelosi. Thank you very much, Amy, for calling us together this afternoon. I salute you and the other Senators. I – Senator Sinema is maybe still with us here. But she was here to begin with, getting us launched. And with my colleague from the House, Congresswoman – Frankel from Florida. She was relentless and persistent and demanding. And she had a ready audience in other Members of Congress.

Let me say why I'm so excited about this. Of course, because of the greatness of these two women. Imagine being the first woman on the Supreme Court after all the years in the history of our country. And to say it's one thing to be first, but not to be last. And that spirit of Sandra Day O'Connor – of course, we in California take special pride in the Stanford connection and the rest. But – and then the notorious RBG, really, to have her in the Congress as well.

When I became Speaker, and even just Leader, one of our goals in our Caucus – and working in a bipartisan way – was to have more diversity in the Congress. How could it be that this great country got to the place where it is with all those white men who are in the Capitol? So we had Rosa Parks, who helped us plan her statue before she left us. She said I want to be sitting down. Sojourner Truth, she was not with us when we planned hers. So many other people of color and women in the Capitol.

But this is something that people know very well – have seen, in their lifetime, these two women be so courageous and so confident in what they brought to the table.

So it's an honor to be here with you, [Senator] Klobuchar, Chair of the Rules Committee, so important in making this happening – happen. As they say, anytime you want to get something done in the House, just ask Lois Frankel. She will make sure that it happens.

It's an honor to be here with Scott O'Connor, the son of Madam Justice, as well as his wife, Joanie. And Professor Kelsi Corkran, who was a clerk to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. You'll hear from them. But I want you to know how excited the Members of Congress are, the pride that we take, and the lesson it will be for all young girls who – and others – who walk through the Congress – the Capitol, to see the recognition – well-deserved and appropriate for these two great leaders of our country. For our country's history, making a difference for our country's future.

With that, I'm pleased to yield back – oh I don't know what – the timing. I know it's going to be you [Senator] Klobuchar. But do we have a design? Do we have a sculpture? Do we have – whatever it is, I'm sure you'll have it all taken care of. So the sooner, the better – and with big appreciation to Chair of the Rules Committee of the Senate, Amy Klobuchar.

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Q. My question is for both of you. Obviously, the Supreme Court has come into pretty intense focus in recent days over this alleged draft decision that's come out. I'm wondering if you might speak to how you think Justice Ginsburg or Justice O'Connor would be reacting to these decisions?

Scott O'Connor. Through the chief.

Senator Klobuchar. Okay. I think that they probably aren't going to comment on that right now. Because this is about the – the legends that they were. So, alright?

Congresswoman Frankel. I think if they were on the Court, this wouldn't be the draft.

Senator Klobuchar. Lois was very direct. Alright. I think we all know our views on it. So yeah.

Q. Senator, is there any chance they would be placed in the Rotunda? Because I understand that statues have to be removed to be placed.

Senator Klobuchar. Well, I certainly will make the case for that. I think Senator Durbin and I have discussed that. He assisted me with this bill. And I think that'd be a great location. But that is not determined – that will be the Architect of the Capitol. As you know, we have problems with these statues. But I have a feeling they're going to be so popular that they better be in a prominent place so many people can see them. Those are my views. And my guess is that is what will happen. So we'll figure it out. There's plenty of statues that can be moved – moved around.

My favorite is a statue that Senator Blunt had – the bust of a man who's – to use as an example – the unknown cleric. Somehow the guy was important enough to have a bust at some point, but then no one can figure out who he is. And so he uses the statue to make the case that what matters is no one's going to remember who you are, except for these two, by the way – and Speaker Pelosi – 200 years from now, but they'll remember what you do. Which is so key of what's happening right now. Speaker Pelosi?

Speaker Pelosi. Justice Taney of Maryland, where I'm from – and I take great pride in Maryland, but not in Justice Taney – his statue could go. We already passed that in the House. We already passed that in the House. I don't know –

Senator Klobuchar. Right. And there's a movement to add Thurgood Marshall and Rosa and Harriet Tubman and many other statues, so.

Q. Where is Justice – where is Roger Taney's statue?

Speaker Pelosi. He's outside of the old Supreme Court –

Senator Klobuchar. The Supreme Court. The old Supreme Court. That chamber down there, yeah.

Q. Thank you.

Speaker Pelosi. It's a bust.

Senator Klobuchar. Yeah. Yeah. But I went down there, and I thought – we got to, we got to put there – this statue is going to go somewhere else – and then the basement. I want these guys upstairs.

Speaker Pelosi. We want a more prominent place. Yeah, we want a better place. But nonetheless, if you're counting, that's one we could get rid of right away. As I say, it passed the House a long time ago.

Senator Klobuchar. Yes. We're working to get it done in the Senate. Thank you, Madam Speaker, for that reminder. Okay.

Anyone else? All right, thank you so much. We're so grateful that – okay, one last question.

Q. What kind of timeline are you looking at, going from the bill to actually getting a statue?

Senator Klobuchar. Of course. So the legislation calls for the statues to be commissioned within two years after the bill's enactment. And of course, we don't know what this – thank you, Madam Speaker – we don't know what the statues will look like. But the legislation ensures that the Joint Committee of Congress on the Librarywill consider artists from a variety of backgrounds. And as I noted – actually, the legislation calls – I should have done my reading – for the statues to be placed in a prominent location. That, to me, means no to the basement. Yes.

So anyway, so that's the timing. Artists submit proposals. And from there, we go forward. So we would like to get this done as soon as possible, and funds have already been set aside. So okay? We're pretty excited about it.

Thank you, everybody.