[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H4592-H4593]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    EMBRACING AUTHORITARIAN TACTICS

  (Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to address the House

[[Page H4593]]

for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, last night during the debate on the 
Freedom Caucus-led inherent contempt resolution, Republicans once again 
tried to silence me. They wanted to take my words down. They wanted to 
prevent me from speaking on the House floor, not because I disparaged a 
Member but because I criticized their resolution. You heard that right. 
The freedom-loving Freedom Caucus wanted to silence me.
  They believe in free speech for themselves. They regularly attack 
President Biden and Democrats in a most personal and vicious manner, 
but because I told the truth about their resolution, they tried to 
forcibly silence me.
  It is chilling, it is scary, and it is frightening that Republicans 
are embracing authoritarian tactics to silence their critics. This is 
Congress, not the Kremlin, Mr. Speaker, but this is a pattern that 
connects them to authoritarian leaders like Putin.
  I will fight back. I love this institution and this country too much 
to allow Republicans to trample on our freedom.

                          ____________________