Tag: US House

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U.S. House Votes 240-197 To Condemn Trump Twitter Attack On 4 Congresswomen As ‘Racist’

The New York Times reports that the House voted today 240-187 to condemn Donald Trump’s attacks on four progressive Democratic congresswomen as ‘racist.’

The House voted on Tuesday to condemn as racist President Trump’s attacks against four congresswomen of color, but only after the debate over the president’s language devolved into a bitterly partisan brawl that showcased deep rifts over race, ethnicity and political ideology in the age of Trump.

The measure passed nearly along party lines, 240-187, following one of the most polarizing exchanges on the House floor in recent memory. Only four Republicans and the House’s lone independent, Representative Justin Amash of Michigan, voted with all Democrats to condemn Mr. Trump.

“I know racism when I see it, I know racism when I feel it, and at the highest level of government, there’s no room for racism,” thundered Representative John Lewis, Democrat of Georgia, an icon of the civil rights movement who was nearly beaten to death in Alabama in 1965.

House Republicans, of course, defended the current occupant of the Oval Office.

Just four Republicans voted with the Democrats — Reps. Will Hurd (Tex.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Susan Brooks (Ind.) and Fred Upton (Mich.). Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.), who quit the GOP earlier this month and now identifies as Independent, also voted for it.

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US House Approves Resolution Denouncing Trump Transgender Military Ban

By a vote of 238-185, the U.S. House approved a non-binding resolution Thursday morning rebuking Donald Trump’s plan to ban transgender military service members.

By a vote of 238-185, the U.S. House approved a non-binding resolution Thursday morning rebuking Donald Trump’s plan to ban transgender military service members.

Introduced by Rep. Joseph Kennedy III (D-Mass), the measure was supported by the entire Democratic caucus and was joined by five Republicans after a one-hour debate, according to the Washington Post.

Calling the misguided policy “targeted discrimination,” Kennedy said the message being sent by the House vote was to tell trans people “that they cannot be banned from military service because of who they are.”

House Resolution 124 begins with the simple statement, “Expressing opposition to banning service in the Armed Forces by openly transgender individuals.”

The resolution notes that trans service members “have served openly since 2016, bravely defending our Nation with distinction while preserving unit cohesion and contributing to military readiness,” and that thousands of trans Americans are actively serving in every branch of the Armed Forces and Reserves.

HR 124 also underscores the public testimony of all five military Chiefs of Staff who say the existing policy “has had no adverse effect on military readiness.”

The resolution comes as the Pentagon prepares to begin enforcing the trans ban on April 12 after the last of four injunctions blocking the policy from being implemented was lifted last week by a three-judge panel in the D.C. circuit.

The policy will prohibit people who have undergone gender transition from enlisting.

Current trans military service members will be required to serve as their biological gender unless they have begun gender transition before the new policy begins on April 12.

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Florida GOP Congressman Trey Radel announces resignation from US House

Freshman GOP Congressman Trey Radel of Florida has announced he will resign effective today from the US House of Representatives.

The resignation would seem directly tied to his arrest for cocaine possession last October and subsequent time spent in drug rehab. He returned to his duties as congressman earlier this month on January 7th.

From his resignation letter sent to Speaker of the House John Boehner:

Unfortunately, some of my struggles had serious consequences. While I have dealt with those issues on a personal level, it is my belief that professionally I cannot fully and effectively serve as a United States Representatives to the place I love and call home, Southwest Florida.

I hereby submit this letter of resignation as the Representative of the 19th District of Florida, effective 6:30 pm, Eastern Standard Time, January 27, 2014. Please find the attached letter I have submitted to Governor Rick Scott.

The 37 year old Radel plead guilty to the drug charges and was sentenced to one year’s probation.

Reports say many in the Republican party were anxious for Redel to resign, and a super PAC had raised over $1 million to challenge him in this fall’s primaries.

(source)