House Speaker Paul Ryan broke from the majority of his Republican colleagues Thursday to vote alongside House Democrats to remove the Confederate flag from federal cemeteries.
The measure passed through the GOP-led House 265-159 with the backing of Ryan’s top cohorts, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
Rep. Jared Huffman (D, Calif.) introduced the amendment to block cemeteries run by the Department of Veterans Affairs from flying the flag, saying the Civil War relic represents "racism, slavery, and division."
"Over 150 years ago, slavery was abolished," he said prior to the vote. "Why, in the year 2016, are we still condoning displays of this hateful symbol on our sacred national cemeteries?"
The proposal’s passage marks a stark turnaround from a similar amendment last year that shut down the appropriations process after Southern Republicans pulled the entire spending bill from the floor to avert casting a vote regarding the Confederate flag.
Politico noted that Ryan’s readiness to hold a vote on the amendment previewed his commitment to force difficult votes on spending bills that allow members to offer a wide range of amendments to keep the appropriations process moving.
"People are going to have to take tough votes," Ryan said Thursday.
Huffman said in a statement following the vote that it was "shameful" two thirds of House Republicans voted against the amendment.
Just ten months ago, the South Carolina legislature voted to remove the Confederate flag from the state’s Capitol after the racially charged massacre of nine black churchgoers in Charleston.