Calvert (R-CA-42) does what he's told to do

[struggle4progress]

November 17th, 2015, 2:41 pm
JEFF HORSEMAN

... Calvert, who chairs an appropriations subcommittee dealing with Department of the Interior spending, introduced a late-hour amendment to a spending bill that would have allowed the flag to be placed at Confederate soldiers' gravestones in federal cemeteries ... The amendment’s late-night passage drew outrage from congressional Democrats and led Republicans to scuttle the spending bill. At the time, Calvert said he offered the amendment at the request of House GOP leadership ...

... Calvert told Roll Call: “We were really right on the verge of passing the bill before this issue that nobody sees coming, comes to bear.”

“... I would have rather not done the amendment, but ... it is what it is.”

Calvert also was quoted as saying he’s “not overly concerned” about the flag ...

http://www.pe.com/articles/calvert-786589-confederate-ken.html

[struggle4progress]

1. The story behind the House fight on the confederate flag

By Kelsey Snell
November 17

The House Appropriations process broke down this year over an attempt to allow the Confederate Battle Flag to be displayed on graves on some federal sites. The amendment to the Interior and Environment spending bill was sanctioned by House leaders in attempt to get more conservative members to vote for the measure but it wound up driving Democrats to revolt and halt any efforts to bring appropriations bills to the floor in the House. But Roll Call reports that the amendment sponsor Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) never wanted to start the fight in the first place.

Ever the good soldier, Calvert introduced the add-on at leadership’s behest, late on a muggy Wednesday evening after most lawmakers and staff had gone home for the night ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/11/17/highway-bill-gets-another-punt-senate-republicans-could-skip-another-planned-parenthood-vote-and-the-confederate-flag-fight/