Question of Personal Privilege
Floor Speech
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I seek recognition for a question of personal privilege.
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I would also like to thank many of my colleagues for the opportunity to not only speak today but for the many Members from both sides of the aisle who have reached out to me in support following an incident earlier this week.
About 2 days ago, I was walking up the steps of the Capitol when Representative Yoho suddenly turned a corner, and he was accompanied by Representative Roger Williams, and accosted me on the steps right here in front of our Nation's Capitol.
I was minding my own business, walking up the steps, and Representative Yoho put his finger in my face. He called me disgusting; he called me crazy; he called me out of my mind; and he called me dangerous.
And then he took a few more steps, and after I had recognized his comments as rude, he walked away, and said: I'm rude? You are calling me rude?
I took a few steps ahead, and I walked inside and cast my vote because my constituents send me here each and every day to fight for them and to make sure that they are able to keep a roof over their head, that they are able to feed their families, and that they are able to carry their lives with dignity.
I walked back out, and there were reporters in the front of the Capitol. And in front of reporters, Representative Yoho called me, and I quote, ``a fucking bitch.''
These are the words that Representative Yoho levied against a Congresswoman, a Congresswoman that not only represents New York's 14th Congressional District but every Congresswoman and every woman in this country because all of us have had to deal with this in some form, some way, some shape, at some point in our lives.
And I want to be clear that Representative Yoho's comments were not deeply hurtful or piercing to me because I have worked a working-class job; I have waited tables in restaurants; I have ridden the subway; I have walked the streets in New York City, and this kind of language is not new.
I have encountered words uttered by Mr. Yoho and men uttering the same words as Mr. Yoho while I was being harassed in restaurants. I have tossed men out of bars that have used language like Mr. Yoho's, and I have encountered this type of harassment riding the subway in New York City.
This is not new, and that is the problem.
Mr. Yoho was not alone. He was walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Representative Roger Williams.
And that is when we start to see that this issue is not about one incident. It is cultural. It is a culture of lack of impunity, of accepting of violence and violent language against women and an entire structure of power that supports that.
Because not only have I been spoken to disrespectfully, particularly by Members of the Republican Party and elected officials in the Republican Party--not just here, but the President of the United States last year told me to ``go home'' to another country, was the implication, that I don't even belong in America. The Governor of Florida, Governor DeSantis, before I even was sworn in, called me a ``whatever that is.''
Dehumanizing language is not new, and what we are seeing is that incidents like these are happening in a pattern. This is a pattern of an attitude towards women and dehumanization of others.
So while I was not deeply hurt or offended by little comments that are made, when I was reflecting on this, I honestly thought that I was just going to pack it up and go home. It is just another day, right?
But then, yesterday, Representative Yoho decided to come to the floor of the House of Representatives and make excuses for his behavior, and that I could not let go. I could not allow my nieces, I could not allow the little girls that I go home to, I could not allow victims of verbal abuse and worse to see that, to see that excuse and to see our Congress accept it as legitimate and accept it as an apology and to accept silence as a form of acceptance. I could not allow that to stand, which is why I am rising today to raise this point of personal privilege.
And I do not need Representative Yoho to apologize to me. Clearly, he does not want to. Clearly, when given the opportunity, he will not. And I will not stay up late at night waiting for an apology from a man who has no remorse over calling women and using abusive language towards women. But what I do have issue with is using women, our wives and daughters, as shields and excuses for poor behavior.
Mr. Yoho mentioned that he has a wife and two daughters. I am 2 years younger than Mr. Yoho's youngest daughter. I am someone's daughter, too.
My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter. My mother got to see Mr. Yoho's disrespect on the floor of this House towards me on television. And I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.
Now, what I am here to say is that this harm that Mr. Yoho tried to levy against me was not just an incident directed at me, but when you do that to any woman, what Mr. Yoho did was give permission to other men to do that to their daughters.
In using that language in front of the press, he gave permission to use that language against his wife, his daughters, women in his community, and I am here to stand up to say that is not acceptable.
I do not care what your views are. It does not matter how much I disagree or how much it incenses me or how much I feel that people are dehumanizing others, I will not do that myself. I will not allow people to change and create hatred in our hearts.
And so what I believe is that having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man. And when a decent man messes up, as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologize-- not to save face, not to win a vote. He apologizes genuinely to repair and acknowledge the harm done so that we can all move on.
Lastly, what I want to express to Mr. Yoho is gratitude. I want to thank him for showing the world that you can be a powerful man and accost women. You can have daughters and accost women without remorse. You can be married and accost women. You can take photos and project an image to the world of being a family man and accost women without remorse and with a sense of impunity.
It happens every day in this country. It happened here on the steps of our Nation's Capitol. It happens when individuals who hold the highest office in this land admit to hurting women and using this language against all of us.
Once again, I thank my colleagues for joining us today.
Madam Speaker, I yield to my colleague from Washington (Ms. Jayapal).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Jayapal for giving context of how these words and this language have always been levied towards the ascent of women and women who are ascending in power.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), another phenomenal leader from my own home State.
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I would take a moment to thank Representative Velazquez for her precedent and her leadership as well. Before I was a young Puerto Rican woman upending an incumbent, Velazquez was as well.
Every single one of us, as women, have to stand on the shoulders and the efforts made by other women who had to fight--fight hatred, fight patriarchy, fight hateful men--in order to simply exist in bodies like this.
So, Madam Speaker, I also thank not only Representative Velazquez, but Representative Lawrence, who is a leader in the Women's Caucus, ensuring that others and other women who will walk through these doors not just today but in generations to come, continue to be protected and amplified.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Michigan (Representative Lawrence) for her comments.
As I had indicated earlier, having a daughter does not make a decent man, having a wife does not make a decent man, but treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man. I am incredibly thankful to have the honor and privilege to serve with decent men in this body each and every day.
Madam Speaker, it is an honor and I am thankful to serve with Representative Al Green, who is a sterling example of such a decent man.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Green for his comments. His words brought tears to my eyes.
I think that the relationship particularly between fathers and daughters is a very sacred one, and it is a very special one. But I also know, if my father were publicly using that language to another woman, particularly my age, but any woman, I would tell him that he needed to apologize and that his behavior was reprehensible and embarrassing.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Pocan), who is also the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and another wonderful champion for all people.
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Pocan for his brilliance.
Madam Speaker, I think the gentleman brings up such an excellent point, something we had all seen, that what we are seeing here is a resounding rejection of abuse and accosting of women.
But why is this only happening from one party?
This should not be a partisan issue. Yet, when Mr. Yoho walked down those steps and accosted me, and used these words, he was next to a Republican colleague, and that Republican colleague did nothing. Not only did that colleague do nothing, he pretended he didn't even hear it, when he had, in fact, jumped in. So not only did a person do it, but a bystander did nothing.
And I have yet to hear from the leader of the Republican Party personally. I have yet to have gotten a call from Representative McCarthy addressing his Member's behavior. I have yet to see Republican colleagues standing up for their daughters and saying that this behavior was unacceptable.
So, in the resounding standing and loud calls for justice, equally loud is the silence and the pin drop from the Republican Party about this type of misconduct.
No matter because, with that, we have an incredible champion for women, for men, for gender nonconforming people, and for justice, and I am proud to call her my sister.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Judy Chu).
Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my friend and colleague, Representative Ocasio-Cortez, but most of all, I rise in support of basic human decency.
I condemn remarks that are disrespectful and offensive; and recent remarks reflected a hostility that should alarm my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
It is not expected that everyone in this Chamber agrees with each other. It is expected, however, that we treat each other with dignity and respect. There should never be a reason that anyone fails to meet this low bar.
Turning policy disputes into personal disputes is dangerous. As leaders, we risk inciting violence in others. As Congress Members, it indicates a focus more on fighting than governing.
We should never utter comments that are misogynistic and hateful to any Congress Member. This week, it was Congress Member Ocasio-Cortez, but if we don't speak out against this, tomorrow it could be any Congress Member who is a woman or person of color; and that is why this must end now.
If any such ugly curse words are uttered, decorum dictates that there should be an apology, a real apology, a sincere apology, not words that simply deflect and blame others.
On the great seal of the United States, it says, ``e pluribus unum;'' out of many, one. Disagreement and different perspectives were baked into this country, and it is our ability to work with others that we do not always agree with that has allowed America to be the beacon of hope. We should never betray these values of unity, despite disagreement.
Congress Member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez deserves respect. Congress Member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez deserves a real apology now.
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, once again, I am so thankful to all of our colleagues who are coming and standing up today, again, not just for one incident, but for all of us in this country.
I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), our majority leader, who has stood up for every Member in this body, and for decency across parties.
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Lee not just for her comments but for her leadership.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar), who is another incredible, resilient, and passionate leader.
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank so many Members who have shown up today in support. Although not everyone has been able to speak, Representatives Castro, DeLauro, and Barragan have also risen, along with many, many others, and I appreciate everyone's presence.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib).
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Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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