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House approves resolution to replace Minnesota statue in U.S. Capitol with Hubert Humphrey
Summary
The Minnesota House passed a memorial resolution to request replacement of the state's Henry Mower Rice statue in the U.S. Capitol with a statue of Hubert Humphrey after floor debate. The measure passed on a roll-call vote, 85 ayes to 44 nays.
The Minnesota House on Tuesday approved a memorial resolution asking the Architect of the Capitol to accept a replacement of Minnesota’s statue of Henry Mower Rice in the National Statuary Hall with a statue of Hubert Humphrey.
Supporters argued Humphrey’s national record warrants the replacement while opponents warned the move could reduce Minnesota’s prominence in the Capitol. The House voted 85 to 44 to pass the resolution and agreed to its title.
Representative Long, the bill’s author, told the chamber that the resolution is the formal step required to begin the process. “The process to change a statue is that we do have to pass a resolution, which is what we have before us today to go to the Architect of the Capitol and notify them of our state's interest in replacing our statue,” Representative Long said.
Representative Coulter urged support for Humphrey’s selection, praising his bipartisan record and public service and quoting Humphrey’s own words about public life: “I have enjoyed my life. Its disappointments outweighed by its pleasures. I have loved my country in a way that some people consider sentimental and out of style,” Coulter said.
Opponents questioned the timing and the potential loss of the statue’s current placement. Representative Olsen, speaking against the resolution, said the visible identifier of a state in Statuary Hall conveys pride even when visitors do not recognize the individual figures: “Let's not relegate Minnesota's statue to the water closet. Let's not give Capitol Administration the ability to shuffle the deck and remove us from our prominent place,” Olsen said.
Representative Allen, speaking in favor, noted Humphrey’s role in national legislation and said local officials in Rice County are preparing to display the Rice statue if it is returned to the county. Representative Allen urged a green vote, saying the Rice statue would be displayed in a prominent public location in Rice County.
Representative Fransen said the House should prioritize pending budget and policy work over the change in the Capitol collection, telling colleagues they have “no joint budget targets” and arguing the body should focus on the state budget first.
Several speakers noted procedural and display questions. Representative Long said the Rice statue was placed in 1916 and that the Humphrey statue would be placed in a prominent location — such as the Capitol Dome or Visitor Center rather than Statuary Hall — though final placement would be determined by federal authorities.
The clerk conducted a roll call after debate. After votes from members participating remotely were recorded, the clerk announced, “There being 85 ayes and 44 nays, the motion is passed. The bill is passed and its title is agreed to.”
The resolution does not itself fund production or relocation of statues; Representative Long said any costs to return the Rice statue to Rice County would be addressed in a subsequent bill or appropriations measure, details of which were not specified during debate.
The House moved on to other calendar business after the vote.
