Providing for Consideration of H. Res. Removing A Certain Member From Certain Standing Committees of the House of Representatives

Floor Speech

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Mrs. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution on behalf of my constituents in Connecticut's Fifth District.

The statements made by the Representative from Georgia have amplified horrific and deeply dishonest rhetoric and empowered and mainstreamed fringe conspiracy theories about school shootings. Giving any Member the platform to spread dangerous rhetoric only rewards and normalizes this behavior, places already vulnerable groups in danger, and further traumatizes survivors.

There is no place in this House for a Member that trivializes these events or refuses to publicly disavow her own words or apologize to those affected.

Mr. Speaker, there are men and women on both sides of the aisle whom I strongly disagree with, colleagues who have made statements that have deeply offended me. Yet, I have never believed we should remove them from committees on this body.

But today is different. We are forced to make this motion, not because of a disagreement in values or opinions, but because the Republican Conference has refused to take any actions addressing dangerous comments made by a Member, comments which have no place in common discourse and cannot be given a platform to be amplified.

While I remain respectful of the voters in Georgia, we have a responsibility as a body to hold our own Members accountable, and I would vote in the same way if a member of my own caucus had committed the same infractions.

No Member of Congress should promote conspiracy theories or sow doubt about the validity of tragic mass casualty events like Sandy Hook, Parkland, and others. No parent should ever have to invite a Member of Congress to visit their child's grave or touch the bullet-riddled clothing that their child wore to prove that their death actually happened.

Mr. Speaker, the Speaker of this House always tells Members to vote our district. Today, I vote as an act of conscience in defense of my district. I vote for the babies who left for school 8 years ago and never returned home, and the teachers who died trying to protect them.

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Mrs. HAYES. Today, I will vote for millions of educators who stand bravely before students while they lead lockdown drills and whisper quietly to them while sheltering in place that school is still safe.

I will vote ``yes'' on this resolution for the parents and the communities who want real debate that produces real solutions for keeping schools and communities safe.

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