Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, sent a Juneteenth message to senators: Rename the Russell Senate Office Building.
In a letter seen by Semafor, Green asked senators to change the name of the building — currently named for former Sen. Richard Russell of Georgia, a segregationist Democrat, and filled with architectural gems — and temporarily dub the structure the Old Senate Office Building while senators agree on a permanent solution.
“Senator Russell’s name has been on this building since 1972, Green wrote, and it is “long past time to remove this insult to people of goodwill from a building paid for and maintained with public funds.”
After the death of former Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., some senators wanted to name it after him, but Georgia’s GOP Senate delegation balked at the idea at the time. Notably, that state’s senators are now both Democrats.