[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 201 (Wednesday, December 6, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H6189-H6197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a question of the privileges of
the house and offer the resolution that was previously noticed.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the resolution.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 914
Whereas on September 30, 2023, as the House of
Representatives was considering legislation to avoid a lapse
of appropriations for Federal agencies and departments which
would result in a shutdown of those agencies and departments,
Jamaal Bowman, the Representative from the 16th Congressional
District of New York, pulled a fire alarm;
Whereas section 22-1319 of the District of Columbia
Criminal Code makes knowingly causing a false alarm of fire a
misdemeanor punishable by fine or imprisonment up to six
months, or both;
Whereas section 22-1319 of the District of Columbia
Criminal Code states ``It shall be unlawful for any person or
persons to willfully or knowingly give a false alarm of fire
within the District of Columbia, and any person or persons
violating the provisions of this subsection shall, upon
conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and be punished
by a fine not more than the amount set forth in section 22-
3571.01 [of this Code] or by imprisonment for not more than 6
months, or by both such fine and imprisonment'';
Whereas on October 26, 2023, Representative Bowman pled
guilty to violating section 22-1319 of the District of
Columbia Criminal Code and was required to pay a $1,000 fine
and write an apology letter to the United States Capitol
Police and was placed on probation; and
Whereas the actions of Representative Bowman forced the
evacuation of the Cannon House Office Building and disrupted
the work of the Congress as a vote was underway on the floor
of the House: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) the House of Representatives censures Jamaal Bowman,
Representative from the 16th Congressional District of New
York;
(2) Representative Jamaal Bowman will forthwith present
himself in the well of the House of Representatives for the
pronouncement of censure; and
(3) Representative Jamaal Bowman will be censured with the
public reading of this resolution by the Speaker.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The resolution qualifies.
Motion to Table
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion.
The Clerk read the motion as follows:
Ms. Clark of Massachusetts moves to lay the resolution on
the table.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to table.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the noes appeared to have it.
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas
and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 201,
nays 216, answered ``present'' 1, not voting 16, as follows:
[Roll No. 704]
YEAS--201
Adams
Aguilar
Allred
Amo
Auchincloss
Barragan
Beatty
Bera
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Blunt Rochester
Bonamici
Bowman
Boyle (PA)
Brown
Brownley
Budzinski
Bush
Caraveo
Carbajal
Cardenas
Carson
Carter (LA)
Cartwright
Casar
Case
Casten
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Cherfilus-McCormick
Chu
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Crockett
Crow
Cuellar
Davids (KS)
Davis (IL)
Davis (NC)
Dean (PA)
DeGette
DeLauro
DelBene
Deluzio
DeSaulnier
Dingell
Doggett
Eshoo
Espaillat
Evans
Foster
Foushee
Frankel, Lois
Frost
Gallego
Garamendi
Garcia (IL)
Garcia (TX)
Garcia, Robert
Golden (ME)
Goldman (NY)
Gomez
Gonzalez, Vicente
Gottheimer
Green, Al (TX)
Grijalva
Harder (CA)
Hayes
Higgins (NY)
Himes
Houlahan
Hoyer
Hoyle (OR)
Huffman
Ivey
Jackson (IL)
Jackson (NC)
Jackson Lee
Jacobs
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Kamlager-Dove
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Khanna
Kildee
Kilmer
Kim (NJ)
Krishnamoorthi
Kuster
Landsman
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lee (CA)
Lee (NV)
Lee (PA)
Leger Fernandez
Levin
Lieu
Lynch
Magaziner
Manning
McBath
McClellan
McCollum
McGarvey
McGovern
Meeks
Menendez
Meng
Mfume
Moore (WI)
Morelle
Moskowitz
Moulton
Mrvan
Mullin
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Neguse
Nickel
Norcross
Ocasio-Cortez
Omar
Pallone
Panetta
Pappas
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Peltola
Perez
Peters
Pettersen
Pingree
Pocan
Pressley
Quigley
Ramirez
Raskin
Ross
Ruiz
Ryan
Salinas
Sanchez
Sarbanes
Scanlon
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Scholten
Schrier
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Sewell
Sherman
Sherrill
Slotkin
Smith (WA)
Sorensen
Soto
Spanberger
Stansbury
Stanton
Stevens
Strickland
Swalwell
Sykes
Takano
Thanedar
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tlaib
Tokuda
Tonko
Torres (CA)
Torres (NY)
Trahan
Trone
Underwood
Vargas
Vasquez
Veasey
Velazquez
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson Coleman
Wexton
Williams (GA)
Wilson (FL)
NAYS--216
Aderholt
Alford
Allen
Amodei
Armstrong
Arrington
Babin
Bacon
Baird
Balderson
Banks
Barr
Bean (FL)
Bentz
Bergman
Bice
Biggs
Bilirakis
Bishop (NC)
Boebert
Bost
Brecheen
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Burchett
Burgess
Burlison
Calvert
Cammack
Carey
Carl
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chavez-DeRemer
Ciscomani
Cline
Cloud
Clyde
Cole
Collins
Comer
Crane
Crawford
Crenshaw
Curtis
D'Esposito
Davidson
De La Cruz
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Donalds
Duarte
Duncan
Dunn (FL)
Edwards
Ellzey
Emmer
Estes
Ezell
Fallon
Feenstra
Ferguson
Finstad
Fischbach
Fitzgerald
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Flood
Foxx
Franklin, Scott
Fry
Fulcher
Gaetz
Gallagher
Garbarino
Garcia, Mike
Gimenez
[[Page H6190]]
Gonzales, Tony
Good (VA)
Gooden (TX)
Gosar
Granger
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Green (TN)
Greene (GA)
Griffith
Grothman
Guest
Guthrie
Hageman
Harris
Harshbarger
Hern
Higgins (LA)
Hill
Hinson
Houchin
Hudson
Huizenga
Hunt
Issa
Jackson (TX)
James
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson (SD)
Jordan
Joyce (OH)
Joyce (PA)
Kean (NJ)
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
Kiggans (VA)
Kiley
Kustoff
LaHood
LaLota
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Langworthy
Latta
LaTurner
Lawler
Lee (FL)
Lesko
Letlow
Loudermilk
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Luna
Luttrell
Mace
Malliotakis
Maloy
Mann
Massie
Mast
McCaul
McClain
McClintock
McCormick
McHenry
Meuser
Miller (IL)
Miller-Meeks
Mills
Molinaro
Moolenaar
Mooney
Moore (AL)
Moore (UT)
Moran
Murphy
Nehls
Newhouse
Nunn (IA)
Obernolte
Ogles
Owens
Palmer
Pence
Perry
Pfluger
Posey
Reschenthaler
Rodgers (WA)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rose
Rosendale
Rouzer
Roy
Rutherford
Salazar
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Self
Sessions
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smucker
Spartz
Stauber
Steel
Stefanik
Steil
Steube
Strong
Tenney
Thompson (PA)
Tiffany
Timmons
Turner
Valadao
Van Drew
Van Duyne
Van Orden
Wagner
Walberg
Waltz
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Williams (NY)
Williams (TX)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Yakym
Zinke
ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--1
Wild
NOT VOTING--16
Balint
Cleaver
Craig
Escobar
Fletcher
Horsford
Kim (CA)
Lofgren
Matsui
McCarthy
Miller (OH)
Miller (WV)
Norman
Phillips
Porter
Ruppersberger
Announcement by the Acting Chair
The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There are 2 minutes remaining.
{time} 1739
So the motion to table was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be physically present for
votes today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall
No. 698, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 699, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 700,
``nay'' on rollcall No. 701, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 702, ``nay'' on
rollcall No. 703, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 704.
{time} 1745
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. DesJarlais). Pursuant to clause 2 of
rule IX, the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. McClain) and the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
On September 30, as the House of Representatives met to consider
legislation to avoid a government shutdown, Representative Jamaal
Bowman of New York knowingly pulled a fire alarm to cause chaos and
stop the House from doing its business. This is a felony, plain and
simple. It is not difficult to understand.
Capitol Police were forced to waste resources investigating rather
than doing their job to keep the Capitol safe. USCP determined Bowman
broke the law, and he was indicted by the Attorney General of the
District of Columbia. Realizing no number of excuses could get him out
of this, Mr. Bowman pled guilty.
As a former principal of the Cornerstone Academy for Social Action in
New York City, Mr. Bowman should know the consequences of pulling a
fire alarm to cause panic. In New York schools, the policy is clear.
When a student commits a crime on campus, police are called, and that
student is either suspended or expelled.
One would think Representative Bowman would be able to hold himself
to the same standards as he held his students to. I don't think that is
a lot to ask.
The Republican majority held our own former Member accountable after
the House Ethics Committee found he engaged in criminal behavior. It
would be hypocritical for the House Democrats to not join us in holding
one of their own Members accountable who actually pled guilty to
breaking the law.
I do not submit this resolution lightly, Mr. Speaker. Article I,
Section 5 of our Constitution gives the House the solemn responsibility
to discipline Members for disorderly behavior. As conviction
demonstrates, Representative Bowman sought to cause panic to delay
official proceedings of this House.
I urge my fellow Members to vote ``yes'' on my resolution and to hold
our colleagues accountable when they break the law.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is a profoundly stupid resolution. Under Republican
control, this Chamber has become a place where trivial issues get
debated passionately and important ones not at all. Republicans have
focused more on censuring people in this Congress than passing bills
that help people we represent or improving this country in any way.
What a waste of time and money. They have turned this place into a
joke.
They came into the majority talking a big game, but have delivered
nothing, not a single, damn thing. They talk about passing this and
passing that. All their hyperpartisan bills are going nowhere.
What we are now doing is distracting from the fact that the
Republican agenda has been a total and complete failure, the least
productive Congress in history, the most rules failed in a single year.
They dragged America to the brink of default twice, almost shut down
the government, wasted weeks fighting about who should be Speaker, and
hitting each other in the hallways.
We should be talking about important issues in this Chamber, Mr.
Speaker. We should be addressing healthcare costs, helping Americans
build economic security, competing with our adversaries abroad, and
investing in our people at home.
We just had a shooting in Las Vegas. We should be talking about
preventing gun violence in this country, and you have us here talking
about how someone tried to go out the wrong door of the Cannon House
Office Building.
Honestly, what the hell is wrong with you?
Congressman Bowman apologized. I want to read his statement so we can
be clear about what we are talking about here today. ``Today, as I was
rushing to make a vote, I came to a door that is usually open for votes
but today would not open. I am embarrassed to admit that I activated
the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door. I regret
this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused.''
He messed up. Like many of us do every day, he was rushing to get to
votes. Guess what? No one was hurt. No one's life was put in danger.
Votes went on like nothing happened. Anyone who works here knows that a
fire alarm going off across the street wouldn't impact votes here in
the Capitol.
I find it terribly ironic that we are talking about censuring Mr.
Bowman, yet we never censured any of our colleagues who tried to
overturn the election on January 6 or who failed to respond to a
subpoena or who put our national security in danger by storming the
SCIF with their phones.
In fact, to the contrary, Mike Johnson, the new Speaker of the
House, held a press conference yesterday about the January 6 video
footage. Something he said stuck with me:
We have to blur some of the people's faces who participated
in the events of that day because we don't want them to be
retaliated against and charged by the DOJ.
Just to be clear, Republicans want to protect the insurrectionists,
shield them from accountability, the people who beat officers, kicked
in doors, smashed windows, desecrated this building, and tried to take
down our democracy. Not our doors; America's doors, America's officers,
America's windows. This is America's building that Trump's mob defiled.
Speaker Johnson wants to protect the mob but has us here debating
this absurd censure. What a pathetic exercise in retaliation and
revenge. What a petty thing it is to bring this garbage to the floor.
Sadly, it is just a typical week for this disgraceful Republican
majority.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
[[Page H6191]]
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
To use that logic, then all those people should have just said
``sorry,'' and we would move on, right?
No, we don't do that.
Let me tell you, I take a little bit of offense to ``What the hell is
wrong with you?'' I will tell you, there is nothing wrong with me. I
took an oath to defend the Constitution, and that is exactly what I am
going to do. I am not going to apologize for it. I am going to hold the
Constitution. It is very simple. We really shouldn't even have this
debate. If you break the law and you follow due process, there are
consequences to your actions, even if you say ``sorry.''
We can try all of the diversion tactics that we would like. It
doesn't change the fact that someone broke the law and that someone
should be held accountable. It is disappointing, Mr. Speaker, that
their own party can't hold them accountable, that they have such
hypocrisy.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend from New York (Ms.
Malliotakis).
Ms. MALLIOTAKIS. Mr. Speaker, we all remember that day, September 30,
2023, at 11:59 a.m. That was when the Democrats actually called for a
motion to adjourn. It was a tactic to stop the vote from taking place
when we were just 12 hours away from a government shutdown. It was also
the day that the leader on the other side tried to give a speech to
delay the vote even further.
Perhaps the most egregious thing we saw was when one of the Members--
remember, we are Members of Congress--and a Member on the other side of
the aisle pulled a fire alarm to disrupt proceedings. It was certainly
an attempt to interfere with an official proceeding.
Now, the speaker who spoke on his behalf said, no, no, no, he was
rushing for a vote. In fact, that is what the statement from Mr. Bowman
was, that he was rushing for a vote. Then why, after pulling that
alarm, did he show up to vote an hour later? If he was in such a rush
to come to the Capitol to vote, why did it take him an hour to actually
cast his vote?
That is the question that he should be answering, because nothing
else truly makes sense. The bottom line here is that he was charged
with a crime after an investigation by the police. He did break the
law, he did plead guilty, and we need to hold that Member accountable.
That is why we have brought this resolution today.
It is not pathetic. What is pathetic is somebody who is a grown adult
pulling a fire alarm like they are in high school. As a high school
principal, Mr. Bowman knows very well the old fire alarm trick, and
there would be accountability for his students if they pulled the fire
alarm.
That is why we are here today making sure there is accountability.
That is all that this is about. It is not just accountability if
Republicans do something. There is accountability if anyone in this
Chamber does something, commits a crime, pleads guilty. That is what we
are doing today.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), the Democratic whip.
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
As we speak here today, conflicts are raging around the globe, and
the American people have told us exactly what they want us to do.
Democracy is under siege. Putin is salivating at the prospect that
Republicans might abandon Ukraine. Seventy thousand childcare centers
are on the verge of shutting down because the GOP let vital funding
expire. We don't even have a budget, despite the fact that we voted for
those top-line numbers back in June.
This ridiculous censure is how the Republicans are spending the time
of this Chamber and the time of the American people. The MAGA majority
should be embarrassed if they are still capable of shame. Republicans
filed this censure the same day they decided to shield the identities
of January 6 rioters.
I do have to hand it to the majority. They have managed to both push
an extreme agenda and be a do-nothing majority. They have done nothing
to make families freer, safer, or more confident in their future.
Instead, they have voted against lowering the cost of insulin,
affordable housing, and gun safety. They have done nothing to promote
freedom, but they do not miss an opportunity to vote for abortion bans,
book bans, and tax cheats.
Just last week, the majority's leadership said no to holding George
Santos accountable after a motion to expel was made by the Republican
chairman of the Ethics Committee, but today they bring this to the
floor? A censure isn't a substitute for a policy agenda. It isn't
filler when you have nothing to offer the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this sham resolution.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Burlison).
Mr. BURLISON. Mr. Speaker, it was said by our friends on the other
side of the aisle that this censure motion is profoundly stupid. What
is profoundly stupid is an adult man, who has been elected as a Member
of Congress, held to a high esteem, pulling a fire alarm like a child,
like throwing a tantrum. What is worse is that he violated the law. He
broke the law when he did it.
{time} 1800
It wasn't just something to say, oh, I am sorry. He broke the law
because he wanted to obstruct the meeting of this body, the vote of
this body. The January 6 individuals have been talked about. If someone
had done that on January 6, they would have been put in jail. The
American people know it.
They see that there is a double standard. They see that this side of
the aisle cleans up its House. The other side is going to let people
who have committed crimes continue to sit in office.
The other side of the building is going to let someone who has taken
bribes in the form of gold bars--apparently cash isn't good enough
under Biden inflation. For a Democratic Member of the Senate to take
cash is not enough. You have to take gold.
We clean up, and we have a standard on this side of the aisle, and
the American people know it. The standard on this side of the aisle is
high. What is clear today is the standard on that side of the aisle is
not.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I will say it again, this resolution is
profoundly stupid.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Bowman).
Mr. BOWMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is painfully obvious to myself, my
colleagues, and the American people that the Republican Party is deeply
unserious and unable to legislate. Their censure resolution against me
today continues to demonstrate their inability to govern and serve the
American people.
Over the last 3 years, I have tirelessly fought for my district and
my constituents by bringing over $125 million to the district. I helped
save members of my community over $7 million and resolved over 6,500
constituent casework issues.
I have introduced over 50 bills, resolutions, and amendments, and I
had two bills on STEM education passed in the historic Chips and
Science Act.
Even today, as Republicans force a censure on me, I introduced a new
bill, the College Athlete Right to Organize Act, to ensure college
athletes get paid for their time and hard work. No matter the result of
the censure vote tomorrow, my constituents know I will always continue
to fight for them.
Fighting for my district includes working to prevent a government
shutdown. Just over 2 months ago, I was rushing to the Capitol to vote
and prevent a Republican shutdown. When I tried to exit a door that I
usually go through, it didn't open, and due to confusion and rush to go
vote, I pulled the fire alarm.
I immediately took responsibility and accountability for my actions
and pled guilty. Immediately. The legal process on this matter has
played out. In no way did I obstruct official proceedings. The vote
took place and Democrats were able to ensure we avoided a government
shutdown.
Unfortunately, Republicans are here trying to rehash an already
litigated matter. This is a matter in which the Republican-controlled
House Committee on Ethics decided not to proceed with any further
investigation.
This is an insult to the people I was elected to represent. Instead
of passing meaningful legislation for the American people, some
Republicans are
[[Page H6192]]
using this censure to waste our time and money. They are trying to make
you forget about all of the rights they want to destroy.
They are trying to make you forget they want to take away your
reproductive rights, your voting rights, your healthcare, your Social
Security, and your Medicare.
House Democrats have been trying to focus on and address the issues
the American people care about.
Can we please, please, please, please address the affordability
crisis?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentleman from New York.
Mr. BOWMAN. Mr. Speaker, millions of Americans are struggling to put
food on their tables, pay their rent, and keep the electricity on.
Can we address the issue of gun violence.
Just this week, we broke the record for the most mass shootings in a
year and we have lost over 35,000 people due to gun violence.
Can we address our crumbling public school infrastructure?
Kids are learning in schools with asbestos, no air conditioning, and
mold. It is hurting their ability to learn, grow, and thrive.
Can we put an end to our massive spending on weapons and war, and
instead invest in our communities and our kids?
The number one thing I tried to do as a middle school principal and
as an educator for 20 years was to teach my students when they made a
mistake, they owned up to it, they took responsibility, and they held
themselves accountable. That is exactly what I did. Yet, we are still
here.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, although your district may appreciate all of those
accomplishments, are we supposed to just forget about the crime that
you committed?
Perhaps, in education, maybe we should have studied a little harder.
If you commit a crime, there is a penalty to that crime. You don't get
to say: I committed a crime, but I did all these good things. All these
good things erase this crime over here. It doesn't work that way.
Again, I will say that it is not profoundly stupid to hold up the
Constitution. The left may believe holding up the rights of the
Constitution is profoundly stupid. I don't believe we do. I will again
say that this hearing and this censure is not profoundly stupid. It is
actually a hearing of where we followed the law.
Mr. Speaker, the other fact that I may want to correct--I will
correct the truth with maybe the other half of the truth--is
``immediately'' means right away. So when you say, ``I immediately''
took action, ``I immediately''--well, the incident occurred
on September 30. October 26 was when you pled guilty. I think that is a
little bit longer than immediately. Again, maybe math wasn't my best
subject either.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their remarks
to the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Gimenez).
Mr. GIMENEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution.
On September 30, while the House considered crucial legislation to
avoid a government shutdown, Representative Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire
alarm to disrupt proceedings, a crime for which he pled guilty. Let me
repeat that again. A crime for which he pled guilty.
As a career firefighter, who served for 25 years in the city of
Miami, 9 years of which I served as its chief, I know just how serious
this is. Every time a firefighter responds to an alarm, they are
placing themselves and the public at risk.
While that is a risk that we are willing to take to protect life and
property, we should never put our first responders and the public at
risk by pulling a false alarm. In fact, in 2021, over 40 police and
firefighters died and were killed while responding to an alarm.
While Representative Bowman initially claimed that he pulled the
alarm thinking it would open a locked door, we know that that was a
blatant lie.
After pulling the alarm, Representative Bowman can be clearly seen on
camera ripping down the emergency exit signs and fleeing the scene. He
had every opportunity to alert Capitol Police to his mistake but chose
not to.
Had it been a simple mistake, I wouldn't be here. It wasn't a simple
mistake.
It is disgraceful that a Member of Congress would go to such lengths
to break the law and put first responders and the public at risk to
prevent the House from voting to keep government open so our Federal
workers can receive their paychecks.
For obstructing the House, putting first responders and the public at
risk, and breaking D.C. laws, Representative Bowman should be censured
before the House.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman talks about following the
Constitution. Really? Coming from that side, it is laughable to hear
that. There was silence about the crimes of Donald Trump; silence about
what happened here on January 6. Silence.
Do you want to talk about opening a door?
The people who stormed this place broke down doors trying to kill
people. Silence. I don't want to hear any lectures about upholding the
Constitution. There is nothing but silence about the crimes of those
who attacked this Capitol on January 6.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms.
Stevens).
Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about my colleague,
Mr. Jamaal Bowman, who I have the privilege of serving on two
committees within this very Congress: the Education and Labor Committee
and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
I have seen Mr. Bowman fight for disability rights, childcare,
affordable prescription drugs, and affordable housing. He has stood up
to racism. He has stood up to the attacks on public education, attacks
on teachers, and cuts to school nutrition. There is a unique and vital
perspective Mr. Bowman brings to education issues in this Congress.
In his freshman term, he served as a subcommittee chair for Energy.
He was a Conference committee member on the Chips and Science Act,
advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion, so that the jobs and
profits could go to everyday Americans.
This man does not deserve to be reprimanded. We should heed the
leadership that he brings to education issues. He looks at AI and he
asks: How can we solve the problems of tomorrow? If we could all do
such a thing.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Alford).
Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, I really don't take any joy in being here
standing before you today to address this matter of grave concern.
Mr. Speaker, this is not trivial. This is not stupid. This is
profoundly important; a solemn duty that I do not take lightly. This is
not personal. This is not partisan. It is to protect this very body.
Representative Jamaal Bowman was criminally charged and pleaded
guilty to falsely pulling a fire alarm. While I applaud his confession,
that doesn't mean this is without consequences. This act was not a mere
lapse in judgment. It was not a mistake. It was not an accident.
It was an intentional, calculated attempt to disrupt the very
democratic process by halting a critical vote on this very floor,
voting for government funding. If you don't believe it, watch the
video.
What should our response be as a House to this willful act of
obstruction?
Mr. Speaker, to this point, nothing has been done.
This inaction sends a very dangerous message: that a Member of
Congress can break the law and the norms of this institution to
obstruct a vote without any consequences. We must rise above partisan
politics and hold our own accountable.
The integrity of our democratic process, the safety of our community,
the trust of the American people, and the function of this body demands
nothing less.
We cannot allow the reckless, calculated actions of one individual to
overshadow the critical work that this
[[Page H6193]]
body does. I am sure that Mr. Bowman is a fine Representative for the
people of his district. This is not a joyous day for anyone here on
this side of the aisle. This is a sad day for this body.
It is an even sadder day if we do nothing about this egregious act. I
recommend that the entire body vote ``yes'' for the censure.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, let me just respond to the gentleman by
saying if this isn't political or partisan, I don't know what the hell
is. This is a pathetic display that we are seeing here on the House
floor today.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California
(Mr. Aguilar), the chairman of the Democratic Caucus.
Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the
resolution because House Democrats want a functioning House of
Representatives. We are in the midst of the least productive Congress
since the Great Depression. This historic dysfunction is what happens
when extreme MAGA Republicans dictate the agenda.
{time} 1815
The majority is fixated on censures, expulsions, and impeachments.
Meanwhile, the American public is worried about making ends meet.
Where is the Republican urgency around lowering costs? Where are
their solutions for their constituents who are worried about rent,
groceries, and utilities?
The truth is that they have no plan and no solutions. They are taking
orders from the former President and being led by the most extreme
members of their Conference.
However, when House Democrats held the majority, we passed the
bipartisan infrastructure law, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,
the bipartisan Chips and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
These laws are creating good-paying jobs, lowering energy costs, and
making schools safer in communities across this country.
A vote for this resolution will further divide this body at a time
when we should be coming together to make the needs of the American
public front and center.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with my colleague from New York, Mr.
Bowman, and I urge a ``no'' vote.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining
on each side.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Michigan has 17 minutes
remaining. The gentleman from Massachusetts has 16\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Lawler).
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, last week, I joined my colleague, Anthony
D'Esposito, in introducing a resolution to expel disgraced former
Congressman George Santos. It was warranted. It was warranted because
he defrauded the voters and defrauded donors, and he is facing a 23-
count indictment.
He did not belong in Congress. I was willing to take on a member of
my own party and reduce our majority by one because he was unfit to
serve.
Now, as a Congressman from the 17th District of New York, I share
Westchester County with Mr. Bowman. I have gotten to know Mr. Bowman
throughout the course of my tenure here in Congress. We have even flown
home together to Westchester County Airport.
What happened on September 30 was wrong. I am sure he is embarrassed.
He should be. As a former middle school principal, he understands the
difference between a locked door and a fire alarm. To suggest that
somehow he was confused is laughable.
As the video evidence shows, he did push the door, and being locked,
it didn't open. Nonetheless, he then took down the signs. He threw one
on the ground, carried one, walked over to the fire alarm on the wall,
and pulled the fire alarm. It didn't say: Pull to exit. It didn't say:
In case of a locked door, pull the fire alarm and the door will open.
No. It said: In case of emergency, pull fire alarm.
He then proceeded to throw the other sign on the ground, and he ran
past seven--one, two, three, four, five, six, seven--Capitol Police
officers and did not utter one word about accidently and embarrassingly
pulling a fire alarm.
In fact, when the BOLO went out and the Capitol Police came to
question him about it, he lawyered up. He then went and met with Leader
Jeffries.
That is not taking accountability right away. That is not taking
responsibility. In fact, a few days after it happened, he called me
directly to ask me: Please don't get on a censure or an expulsion
resolution.
I said to him: I will not do anything until I hear from the Capitol
Police as to what happened.
He told me: Oh, I won't be charged. They are dismissing it. I didn't
do anything.
They ended up referring it to prosecutors. He was charged, and he
pled guilty.
I don't think he should be expelled. I think what he did was wrong. I
don't think it was an accident. It was absolutely done to disrupt a
proceeding as the Democrats were pulling all sorts of stunts that day,
including walking single file in to vote by paper even though they all
had their electronic voting cards. Hakeem Jeffries was doing his magic
minute. We all know what it was.
Let's be honest. Let's take accountability here.
If you are taking accountability, then you should actually tell your
colleagues: Do you know what? I did wrong. I accept the censure.
Instead, you are sitting there smirking and laughing. I don't think
your constituents think it is funny. In fact, I know they don't think
it is funny because of the number of times I get calls from your
constituents.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentleman from New York.
Mr. LAWLER. The number of times I get calls from your constituents
and the amount of time my office gets inundated with requests from your
constituents, like when you shut your office down for 2 weeks in
August--all the offices shut down. Do you know how many cases we had to
take on? Calls came from Jewish constituents who don't feel that they
can go to you for help.
They don't think it is funny. The people of Westchester County don't
think it is funny.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of
this censure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are, again, reminded to direct their
remarks to the Chair.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, let me just say to my Republican
colleagues: Are you listening to yourselves talk?
We are in the House Chamber. Heads of state address this body. We
have debates about war and peace, and you are talking about a fire
alarm? I mean, give me a break.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their remarks
to the Chair.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
New York (Ms. Ocasio-Cortez).
Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Mr. Speaker, I think the Republican side of the
aisle made the case quite clearly today as to why we should not vote
for censure. Right now, you can tell how weak their arguments are
because they are grasping for straws, trying to do their best ``My
Cousin Vinny'' impersonation as to breaking down what happened here
with a fire alarm.
Jamaal Bowman has more courage in his pinkie finger than the entire
Republican Party put together and more integrity than the entire
Republican Party put together. That is exactly why they are moving to
censure him today.
Mr. Speaker, let me tell you what is actually going on. New York
Republicans are so embarrassed that they propped up George Santos, got
him elected to office, and then had to turn around and vote to expel
him that they want to distract the entire world from their massive
embarrassment.
New York Republicans are so embarrassed that they have not
accomplished a damn thing for New Yorkers this entire year that they
have to find a distraction, so they have decided to target one of the
first Black men to ever represent Westchester County in the United
States Congress for censure. That is what today is about.
Moreover, New York Republicans are so unfocused and so unable to make
[[Page H6194]]
people's lives better that they have decided to bully their colleague.
That is what today is about.
They are wasting our time, and they are wasting the country's time
over some petty--what rises to censure? I mean, truly, these arguments
that are being made here, what is next? Jaywalking? Do you want to get
us for jaywalking and for not crossing the street correctly? Is that
what you are going to raise for censure next?
This is truly ridiculous. It is beneath the character of the House,
and it is beneath the stature and the status of what rises to
consideration before this body.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I agree. I wish we didn't have to be here.
We should, as most sports teams do, clean up our own locker room. That
would be the best-case scenario, as we actually did with a member of
our Conference. We cleaned up our own locker room. It would be nice if
the other side would clean up theirs.
So, I agree with you, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. I loved your ``My Cousin
Vinny'' analogy. That was funny, but this isn't a funny thing. It was
good, but this isn't funny.
You committed a crime to try to disrupt a proceeding. This is
serious. I think it is a little more serious than jaywalking when you
try to disrupt the business of the House.
Again, I wish we weren't here because I wish you all would clean up
your own locker room so we could really get on to the people's
business. We can do both.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms.
Greene).
Ms. GREENE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, September 30, 2023,
the House of Representatives was considering a continuing resolution to
avoid a government shutdown. Minutes after the Democratic whip made a
motion to adjourn, Jamaal Bowman decided to pull a fire alarm. He
pulled that fire alarm intentionally and willfully, and he knew exactly
what he was doing.
This happened in the Cannon House Office Building, where my office is
located. I happened to have been in my office when he pulled the fire
alarm. This caused the Cannon House Office Building to be evacuated,
and my staff and I could not return to our office for several hours.
Once the fire alarm was pulled, the elevators shut down. It made it
very difficult for everyone to leave the building, especially if they
were handicapped. People had to go down the stairs in order to exit as
the fire alarm was blaring. Not only that, all the staff had to leave.
They were not allowed to reenter for a very long time.
Capitol Police were scrambling, trying to figure out what had
happened, if there was a fire, and if there was a threat to our safety
and security. They had to go into an investigation immediately in order
to understand why the fire alarm was going.
Jamaal Bowman did not tell the Capitol Police that he pulled the fire
alarm even though he admitted himself that, when he makes a mistake, he
would tell his own students: If you have made a mistake, own up to it
and take accountability.
Jamaal Bowman had plenty of opportunity to admit his mistake and take
accountability for his own actions. He should have told Capitol Police
immediately that he made a mistake, as he claimed.
It wasn't a mistake, Mr. Speaker. It was on purpose. It was
intentional. It was all in part to play the games and the shenanigans
that the Democrats were pulling that day as they were trying to block
the continuing resolution that was being considered on the House floor.
Remember, Mr. Speaker, the fire alarm was pulled minutes after the
Democratic whip made a motion to adjourn.
More importantly, he was intentionally playing his part to obstruct
an official proceeding.
By the way, this is the same thing that has been used against January
6 defendants and is still being used to this day. They are being locked
up, held in pretrial detention, and being prosecuted by the Department
of Justice nearly 3 years later for obstructing an official proceeding,
which is exactly what Jamaal Bowman, a Member of Congress, did on
September 30.
We have a two-tiered justice system in Washington, D.C. Regular
people walked into the Capitol. By the way, many nonviolent offenders
walked in open doors. Some of them who also were standing out on the
lawn and never entered the Capitol are being charged for obstructing an
official proceeding.
Yet, Jamaal Bowman says that it was a mistake and that he should get
a pass. His colleagues make excuses for him and call us unserious.
Do you know what is unserious, Mr. Speaker? Having a justice system
that doesn't hold everyone accountable and doesn't treat people the
same way.
This is an outrage, and this is a disgrace to this institution and
this body.
For someone who is a former principal and who punished his own
students for intentionally pulling fire alarms to make up petty excuses
and think that his own constituents and the American people will buy
his lie is a slap in the face to his voters, the people whom he
represents, this entire country, and every single one of us who serves
in this body.
{time} 1830
I would also add that if anyone is going to be charged and forced to
remain in jail, forced to be serving prison time for obstructing an
official proceeding, then Jamaal Bowman should face the exact same fate
of every single January 6 defendant.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this censure
resolution, and I thank Representative McClain for introducing it.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, it is really rich to get a lecture from
someone about civility who stood on this House floor and screamed and
interrupted the President of the United States during his state of the
Union, or somebody who continues to circle the wagons and cheer on the
insurrectionists who attacked this Capitol violently on January 6.
I was the last person off the House floor on that day, and I saw what
happened. Then for people to come down here and defend those actions,
it is pathetic and disgusting.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan
(Ms. Tlaib).
Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, they are so desperate. You all are so
desperate to distract from the fact that you all have nothing to
improve the lives of the American people or end the ongoing genocide.
Now, you are trying to shift the focus by baselessly attacking
Representative Bowman to score cheap political points, comparing him to
the white supremacists on January 6 who were smashing windows in the
Capitol and screaming: ``Hang Mike Pence.'' Give me a break.
Your inability to govern is so obvious to the American people. You
all can't even find enough Republicans to pass a budget or even keep a
Speaker. This is yet another attempt to silence a person of color in
this Chamber. We all see it.
This is all about the fact that Representative Bowman calls out your
hypocrisy. The Republicans need to leave him alone and get a grip. The
Republicans should do something that will actually improve the lives of
the American people that you all represent. Vote ``no'' on this cheap
political stunt.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I would just remind you that we talk about
baseless claims. If I am not mistaken, Capitol Police did an
investigation, referred it to the District of Columbia that did an
investigation, and Representative Bowman pled guilty to a crime. I
don't think that is baseless. In fact, I think that is basis for crime
and that is basis for this censure. Because baseless means you have no
cause, Mr. Speaker, and I think the mere fact that Mr. Bowman pled
guilty isn't baseless. It is basis for a crime.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would, once again, remind all
Members, on both sides of the aisle, to direct their remarks to the
Chair and not to each other in the second person.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Jeffries), the Democratic leader.
Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this
fake, fraudulent, and fictitious censure resolution.
The proceedings here on the floor of the House of Representatives
have been
[[Page H6195]]
a complete and total embarrassment. Extreme MAGA Republicans have
stooped to a new low, and that is very difficult based on the events
that have taken place under this Republican majority throughout this
year.
Jamaal Bowman has taken public responsibility for the fire alarm
incident. He has apologized, explained the circumstances under which it
occurred. He has been held publicly accountable by the D.C. Superior
Court, paid a $1,000 fine, and the Ethics Committee, under a Republican
chair, on a bipartisan basis here in this Congress made clear that no
further action was required.
It begs the question: Why is the author of this resolution and the
extreme MAGA Republicans on the floor of the House wasting time and
taxpayer resources trying to undermine the credibility of Jamaal
Bowman?
He is someone who is doing his best to serve his constituents,
including in some of the poorest sections of the Bronx, and extreme
MAGA Republicans have us on the floor with this sad and silly charade.
Now, the extreme MAGA Republicans have said, including the author of
this resolution, that this is about law and order. Give us a break. All
you have done is demonstrate throughout the years, including on January
6 and thereafter, that you are not the party of law and order. Extreme
MAGA Republicans are the party of lawlessness and disorder.
As a matter of fact, the author of this resolution has endorsed
Donald Trump, with multiple indictments. Someone who undertook a crime
wave over and over and over again, proudly smirking now that she stands
behind Donald Trump, and then wants to communicate to us that this is
about law and order when you are the party of lawlessness and disorder.
In fact, the author of this resolution voted to overturn the will of
the American people on January 6, and then came back, like the majority
of her extreme MAGA Republican colleagues after the violent
insurrection, after the Capitol was overrun by a violent mob, after
more than 100 Capitol Police officers were seriously injured, and then
voted still, not for law and order, not for accountability, and not for
the Constitution. You voted with the insurrectionists.
Give us a break, lecturing us about the Constitution and law and
order. Your own record suggests that is a phony argument. Nobody is
buying it.
The American people aren't buying it. We will make sure the people of
Michigan won't buy it.
It has been very interesting watching extreme MAGA Republicans in
this debate acting like detectives on the House floor. Extreme MAGA
Republicans pretending to be Perry Mason. Extreme MAGA Republicans
pretending to be Matlock. Extreme MAGA Republicans pretending to be
Cagney & Lacey, not even worthy of being held to the standard of
Inspector Gadget and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. That is how
embarrassing your display on the House floor has been.
This is a serious matter. Your behavior on the House floor is a
serious matter, and I have the floor. I have the floor.
The behavior of the extreme MAGA Republicans censuring Member after
Member after Member has brought disgrace to the institution, to the
House of Representatives.
This behavior has brought disgrace; not the underlying censure. There
has been accountability in the ways that we have all described. The
effort to weaponize the censure--what happened, Mr. Speaker, to
civility? What happened to trying to foster an environment where we can
solve problems on behalf of the American people?
We don't take these arguments of civility seriously because the
overwhelming majority of the extreme MAGA Republican Conference
supports the violent insurrectionists and supports the insurrectionist-
in-chief, twice impeached, under Federal indictment repeatedly for
breaking the law and violating the Constitution.
Here we are on the House floor because extreme MAGA Republicans have
no plan. Extreme MAGA Republicans have no policies. Extreme MAGA
Republicans have made no progress for hardworking American taxpayers on
any issue, and so you are here to try to distract.
We are not going to let it happen. We are not going to let extreme
MAGA Republicans distract the people of Michigan, distract the people
of New York, distract the people of America. We are on the House floor
wasting time talking about fire alarms--not the economy, not inflation,
not affordable housing, not lowering costs, not the gun violence
epidemic that continues to claim the lives of our young people all
across America. Extreme MAGA Republicans have us on the House floor
talking about fire alarms. How silly is that under these circumstances?
Social Security is under assault. Medicare is under assault.
Reproductive freedom is under assault. The Affordable Care Act is under
assault. Democracy itself is under assault, and extreme MAGA
Republicans are wasting time on the House floor talking about fire
alarms under these circumstances.
They are embarrassing themselves. It is petty, it is pathetic, and it
is petulant.
Now, House Democrats have said from the very beginning of this
Congress that we will find bipartisan common ground with our Republican
colleagues on any issue whenever and wherever necessary in order to
make life better for the American people on any issue, but we will push
back against Republican extremism whenever necessary, and you have
crossed a line once again.
We will call out MAGA extremism in the loudest, strongest, most
direct way possible. This extreme MAGA Republicans' do-nothing
Republican Congress has done nothing to improve the lives of the
American people all over the land. This do-nothing Republican Congress
has failed to solve a single problem on behalf of hardworking American
taxpayers. This do-nothing Republican Congress has failed to do a
single thing to improve the quality of life of the American people.
If extreme MAGA Republicans are going to continue to try to weaponize
the censure as is being done on this floor right now, going after
Democrats repeatedly week after week after week because you have
nothing better to do, then I volunteer. Censure me next. That is how
worthless your censure effort is. It has no credibility, no integrity,
and no legitimacy.
Republicans should censure me next. I will take that censure and I
will wear it next week, next month, next year like a badge of honor. I
will go home, sleep well, and say to myself, today was a good day.
{time} 1845
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, therein lies the problem. I am one of the
so-called MAGA Republicans which, again, I don't apologize for.
Under MAGA Republican leadership, I might remind everybody, crime was
down--or excuse me, crime was up--crime was down under the last
administration. Clearly, crime was down. The economy was up.
All of these problems that we are dealing with in this Congress
today, Mr. Speaker, have been created by the Biden administration and
created by my friends on the left. That is the truth. Those are the
facts.
Under the MAGA Republicans, how many wars were we fighting overseas?
Zero. What was the crime rate? Down. Again, we have some serious
problems since the Democrats, this administration, took office, and
therein lies the problem.
You want to talk about law and order. You want to talk about Cagney &
Lacey and Ace Ventura, that is cute. That is cute.
Mr. Speaker, you want to talk about a disgrace to this body? Doing
investigative work and actually following due process, that is what we
are supposed to do. That is what I thought we did.
I will not apologize for following law and order, but under the
Democrats' law and order, you shouldn't go through any investigation.
You should just on a whim do some impeachment. That is what the other
side of the aisle does.
We clean up our locker room, but when you commit a crime, it is
unfortunate that we have to bring this to the table. As much as they
want to compare us and call us names, they can continue to do that, but
the facts speak for themselves. We waited until an investigation was
completed before we brought this censure resolution. We
[[Page H6196]]
didn't do it on a whim. That is law and order. If that is Cagney &
Lacey, following due process, perhaps, Mr. Speaker, my friends on the
other side of the aisle could use a little investigative reporting and
some detective work themselves.
Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Michigan has 1 minute
remaining. The gentleman from Massachusetts has 11\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time for
closing.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, oh, my goodness, I had trouble following
the gentlewoman. I mean, was crime up or down in the last
administration? The one thing I can say with certainty is that crime
was way up in the White House in the last administration without a
doubt.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Frost).
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I grew up not understanding why people
throughout the country didn't hold Congress in high regard, but I can
just imagine the people turning on C-SPAN, turning on the news, hearing
the arguments that we are hearing from the other side of the aisle, and
then it just makes sense to me.
Let's recap what the American people have witnessed over the last few
years: A Member who physically assaulted a colleague, a Republican
Member who tried to bring a gun on the House floor, a Republican
colleague who brought January 6 insurrectionists into the Capitol.
This is the least productive Congress that we have had since the
Great Depression, and this entire party is pushing us toward a shutdown
and economic collapse daily, but it is Congressman Bowman, who is a
thoughtful former educator and staunch defender of democracy, who they
want to censure. What a pathetic waste of time. No wonder half of this
country doesn't vote when they turn on the TV and see their leaders
wasting time like this.
We need more educators in Congress like Congressman Bowman, not
fewer, and maybe if we had more educators here, they would be able to
give my Republican colleagues a class on how to truly govern.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Washington State (Ms. Jayapal).
Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Bowman is a brilliant,
committed, progressive Member who has dedicated his life to equity and
opportunity for kids. He is a leader in economics, education, and
racial justice. He is a leader of the Green New Deal for public
schools, and legislation to pay artists what they are worth.
He made a mistake. He apologized. He paid the fine. The Ethics
Committee declined to further investigate this matter. That should be
the end of this.
However, what are we doing here? Republicans would rather waste time
with political stunts and demonizing a Black Member. They want people
to forget that they want to strip healthcare from Americans. They want
people to forget that they want to cut Social Security and Medicare,
the two most important and trusted programs in the country. They want
people to forget that they are denying election results on that side,
your right to vote.
Right now they will do anything to distract from what they are really
doing. There is nothing to show for the majority but chaos, infighting,
and cruelty.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentlewoman from Washington.
Ms. JAYAPAL. I just have to end with this. Just a few weeks ago,
Congressman Chip Roy stood on the floor of this Chamber and called for
his fellow Republican colleagues to ``come explain to me one material,
meaningful significant thing the Republican majority has done. . . . `'
The answer is obvious. Nothing.
Oppose this resolution.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Minnesota (Ms. Omar).
Ms. OMAR. Mr. Speaker, it is understandable why the author of this
censure doesn't know what is up and what is down because obviously
someone who wants to talk about crime supports a former President
currently running for President that is facing 91 Federal and
State indictments.
It is clear she doesn't know what is up or down because we sit on the
Education and the Workforce Committee together talking about how she
wants to help our kids, but all she wants to do is criminalize their
ability to exist as individuals.
It makes sense that she doesn't know what is up or down because she
keeps talking about accountability, and she doesn't understand that
criminal charges are accountability. Pleading guilty is taking
accountability. That is what the gentleman has done.
The only reason we are here is because she wants more time on camera.
It is to make sure there is an ability to send a fundraiser asking for
money.
This censure is not necessary because this gentleman has already been
held accountable.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, we need to be accountable to this body.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley).
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the censure
of Representative Jamaal Bowman. This is yet another predictable but no
less wasteful action.
Congressman Bowman has taken accountability for his mistake, and even
Republicans on the Ethics Committee agree that this is a waste of time.
We have got 99 problems, but a functional government of the
Republican majority is not one of them.
Republicans are disconnected, dysfunctional, discriminating, and a
disappointment to the American people. They can't pass a bill to fund
our public schools, but they will bring this resolution to attack
Congressman Bowman, a champion for students, a lifelong educator, a
duly elected Member of Congress, and a strong Black man. He honors the
legacy of the many brilliant Black men who came before him.
A quick history lesson: We are approaching the anniversary of when
Joseph Rainey became the first Black Member of the U.S. House of
Representatives in December of 1870. Just like Jamaal Bowman, he fought
for public education and civil rights, and he had to deal with double
standards and racism in Congress.
This censure is just the latest in this Chamber's racist history of
telling Black men that they don't belong in Congress.
To the Black men of this Nation, know that you belong everywhere.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentlewoman from Massachusetts.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Jamaal Bowman is fighting for you, and I am fighting
for you right alongside him.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this resolution.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman
from Missouri (Ms. Bush).
Ms. BUSH. Mr. Speaker, St. Louis and I rise because we are tired of
extreme Republican antics that seek to put politics over the needs of
people.
Under Republican leadership, the House has successfully passed just
14 bills. Some of these were bills to punt an impending government
shutdown, which we all know was only avoided thanks to the Democrats.
Let us not forget that their complete and utter inability to govern
resulted in an entire Chamber of Congress being unable to perform its
basic duties for 17 days, 17 failed Speaker votes, and multiple failed
Speaker candidates. Their House is not in order.
Republicans haven't delivered on any top public priorities like
strengthening Social Security, delivering environmental protections, or
boosting our economy. Politically motivated censures like this one that
target Black and Brown Members of Congress like this one are not only a
waste of time, they are a distraction.
The people aren't falling for it. Republicans should actually
legislate rather than play useless political games like this attempt to
censure Representative Jamaal Bowman.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
I apologize to the American people. I apologize that Republicans are
wasting
[[Page H6197]]
their hard-earned taxpayer money with yet another stupid and
meaningless censure resolution instead of doing anything that will help
the American people.
Jamaal Bowman is a good man, a decent man, a kind man. He was rushing
to exit a House Office Building so he could go vote, and he activated a
fire alarm in the process of trying to open a door.
Did he destroy government property? No.
Did he obstruct an official proceeding? No.
Did he wield a deadly weapon? No.
Did he assault or injure anyone? No.
However, did he apologize and take responsibility for his actions?
Yes, he did.
That is more than we can say for January 6, when this building was
desecrated by an angry mob sent by Trump to overturn an election.
Republican Members of this body still act like nothing happened. How
disgusting. How offensive it is to the men and women who protect us
that my friends on the other side of the aisle continue to act like
nothing happened that day.
At the end of the day, this has nothing to do with Congressman
Bowman, and my friends know that. It is about deflecting from how
unhinged this majority is. They had to expel one of their own Members
last week, for God's sake. They had the first Speaker in history to be
ousted. They have nothing of any consequence to show for an entire year
in the majority. Nothing. They have done nothing. They have wasted time
on stupid measures like this. Nothing.
This whole exercise is just nuts. For Republicans, it is all about
appeasing their orange overlord in Mar-a-Lago who can do no wrong.
They don't care about governing. They aren't fit to govern. They
aren't concerned about the serious and complex issues facing this
country, the world, or the people we represent. For them, being in
power is all about retaliation and revenge, and the destruction of
their perceived enemies. It is time for the Republican Party to grow
up.
Mr. Speaker, I don't want to waste another second on this meaningless
resolution. This is pathetic. The Republicans have turned this Chamber
into a place where trivial issues get debated passionately and
important ones not at all.
My friends have done nothing--not a damn thing--for the people that
they say they represent. How can anybody on the other side of the aisle
go home with a straight face and say that they are representing their
constituents? They have produced nothing for them. They have turned
this place into a joke.
It is sad that we are here today. Again, I will end as I began, by
apologizing to the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this pathetic, stupid
resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, in case my colleagues on the other side of
the aisle need clarification, I want to make it clear, the American
people know that they are not better off than they were 4 years ago,
and they know it is Democrats in this Congress and the White House that
have put them in this anguish as we see today, just to clear things up.
All we have heard from congressional Democrats is excuse after excuse
for Representative Bowman's criminal behavior. I daresay, Mr. Speaker,
that if a Republican did what Mr. Bowman did, that every single Member
on the Democratic side would be down here calling for censure, if not
expulsion.
Mr. Bowman himself, despite pleading guilty, said it was an accident.
How? Someone looks at a sign that says ``Fire'' and thinks, hmm, I
wonder what this will do?
Mr. Chairman, I urge everyone to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The previous question is ordered on the
resolution.
The question is on adoption of the resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question are postponed.
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