Congressional Black Caucus

Floor Speech

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Mrs. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Horsford and Representatives Cherfilus-McCormick and Jackson for convening this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with my CBC colleagues in support of the ``Tennessee Three'' and in staunch opposition to the dangerous precedent set by Tennessee Republicans.

Just 10 days after three children and three adults were brutally and tragically murdered, rather than working to prevent that tragedy from happening again, Tennessee Republicans expelled Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson in a gross abuse of power, a blatant infringement of free speech, and a disenfranchisement of the voters of the 52nd and 86th Tennessee House districts.

Attempts to compare the actions of the ``Tennessee Three'' to those of the January 6 insurrectionists to justify the expulsion trivializes the tragic events that occurred in this very building. Nobody died in the Tennessee House. A bullhorn is not a pipe bomb. Nobody called for members of the Tennessee Legislature to be hung.

Instead, Tennessee Republicans have set a dangerous precedent that threatens the very foundational principles of American democracy by attempting to silence calls for gun reform. This is something that should concern every voter. A controlling party cannot invalidate the will of the people simply because they don't agree with the position of their colleagues or the peaceful exercise of their free speech.

I stand with my CBC colleagues in denouncing this overreach. We will not stand idly by for such threats on democracy.

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