[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 150 (Wednesday, September 25, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5805-H5806]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CENSURING OF REPRESENTATIVE CLAY HIGGINS
(Mr. HORSFORD asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute.)
Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Objection is heard. The gentleman will
suspend.
Mr. CLYDE. Withdrawn.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has withdrawn the objection.
The gentleman will continue.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, earlier today a gentleman from Louisiana
posted on his official X account: ``LOL. These Haitians are wild.
Eating pets, vudu, nastiest country in the Western Hemisphere, cults,
slapstick gangsters, but damned if they don't feel all sophisticated
now, filing charges against our President and VP. All these thugs
better get their mind right and their ass out of our country before
January 20th.''
Mr. Speaker, under rule XXIII, the Code of Official Conduct for the
118th Congress states that a Member shall behave at all times in a
manner that reflects credibly on the House.
These words on an official post do not reflect credibly on the House.
In fact, they are inciting hate. They are inciting fear. Because of
that, it is time for this body to stand with one voice and to ensure
that there is accountability.
Mr. Speaker, I move to refer this matter to the Committee on Ethics
and that we bring this Member up for censure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman yield back?
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I made a motion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There is no motion pending before the House.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I made a motion based on rule XXIII--point
of parliamentary inquiry.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is not stating a proper motion
at this time.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire under rule XXIII whether
this is a violation of the official Code of Conduct before the House.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has not made an inquiry
relevant to any pending proceedings.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, may I ask of the Parliamentarian whether
these--the rule XXIII Code of Conduct applies against the gentleman
from Louisiana.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will not provide an advisory
opinion on this matter.
Parliamentary Inquiry
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, point of inquiry.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary
inquiry.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, is it appropriate for a Member to use
their official equipment in violation of rule XXIII?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. That is not a proper parliamentary inquiry.
Does the gentleman have a parliamentary inquiry?
Mr. HORSFORD. Yes.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary
inquiry.
Mr. HORSFORD. My parliamentary inquiry is: Is a Member allowed to use
their official equipment of the House of Representatives and platform
in violation of rule XXIII?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Sir, this is not an issue that the Chair is
prepared to advise on at this time. This is a matter for the House to
determine.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, that is why I made the motion to refer
this matter to the Committee on Ethics so that they can fully
deliberate and determine whether the gentleman from Louisiana violated
rule XXIII of the Code of Conduct of the House of Representatives.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Sir, that is not a proper motion.
Point of Order
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I make a point of order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of order.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, what is the proper motion for me to refer
this matter to the Committee on Ethics?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Sir, the Chair will not issue an advisory
opinion, and the gentleman is not stating a point of order.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I am not asking for you to make a
determination of an advisory opinion. I am asking for the matter to be
referred to the Committee on Ethics based on the violation of rule
XXIII Code of Conduct before the House of Representatives.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Sir, the Chair has advised that the motion
is not in order at this time.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, at what time would it be in order? After
someone--there are children who are feeling threatened in this moment,
based on the actions of the Member from Louisiana.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair advises the Member to pursue this
matter through the proper channels under rule IX.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. For what purpose does the gentlewoman seek
recognition?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I make a motion to overrule the
ruling of the Chair.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has not issued a ruling, and the
gentlewoman is not stating a proper motion.
Point of Order
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I make a point of order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman will state her point of
order.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, you have made a ruling that the
gentleman's motion is not in order, and I object and disagree with that
ruling. I would like to make a motion to overrule the decision of the
Chair.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair advises the gentlewoman that there
was no valid motion made and, therefore, no ruling made that can be
appealed.
The Chair again advises Members of the availability of rule IX.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I make a motion that this gentleman's
words be stricken from the official record that he used by using
official property and platform of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Sir, that is not a valid motion under the
House rules.
Parliamentary Inquiry
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, point of inquiry.
[[Page H5806]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of
inquiry.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, so the gentleman from Louisiana, had he
stood on the floor of the House of Representatives and said these words
on the House floor, the body would have been able to remove his words
from the Record? Is that not correct, Mr. Speaker?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Sir, the Chair cannot respond to a
hypothetical inquiry.
Does the gentleman yield back?
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that on the last day of
this body's work on behalf of the people, after we came together just
last week in a bipartisan way to protect and to provide dignitary
protection for our national party candidates, that we have a Member who
is choosing to use an official platform, and therefore, it is my
intention to bring to this body a motion of censure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, therefore, I move to censure
Representative Clay Higgins for violating rule IX by bringing discredit
and disgrace to the House of Representatives, and I am submitting this
motion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has not made a proper motion.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I move to censure--I am entering this as a
resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Again, the Chair reminds Members of rule IX.
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I am submitting by resolution a motion to
censure Representative Clay Higgins for violating rule IX by bringing
discredit and disgrace to the House of Representatives.
There is an official motion, Mr. Speaker.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman attempting to give notice
under rule IX?
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I am attempting to give notice that I
intend to bring a censure resolution upon return to this House of
Representatives, and I would hope that every Member of this body
understands that no person, particularly those who contribute to
communities, who are entrepreneurial, who give to our communities by
being nurses and first responders and teachers, that those individuals,
those children, no longer have to live in fear or intimidation because
of any words or posts that come from Members of this body, that it is
time to end hate and the rhetoric of hate, and that it is not becoming
of any Member to continue to push this type of rhetoric on any
platform, let alone from the House of Representatives.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to accept my motion to censure
Representative Clay Higgins for violating rule IX by bringing discredit
and disgrace to the House of Representatives.
Mr. SCALISE. I object.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. An objection is heard.
Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, first of all, the tweet has been deleted
already and removed, but I object to the motion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, if we want to go through every comment and
tweet from the other side, we will be happy to do it.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is not recognized.
Does the gentleman seek recognition?
Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I object to the motion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The objection has been heard.
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