WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement on the resolutions passed today, H.Con.Res. 9 and H.Res. 76:
“Republicans don’t have legislation that would raise wages for workers or reduce the cost of living. So they’re spending time on ‘gotcha’ resolution votes and political games.
“The Republicans’ resolution is a blatantly bad faith attempt to smear the Democratic agenda and equate it with totalitarian regimes. Throughout history, every effort by Democrats to advance a fairer society for working people has been attacked as ‘socialism’: the New Deal, Medicare, libraries, public education, the Postal Service, Medicaid expansion, the Affordable Care Act, Social Security, taxes on the wealthy and corporations, lower prescription drug prices and a $15 minimum wage. By denouncing ‘socialism in all its forms,’ the resolution insults many United States’ allies with socialist governments or who have adopted socialist ideas, including Spain, Germany, Portugal, Canada, New Zealand, and many Nordic countries.
“It’s a baseless and craven maneuver designed to distract from Republicans’ agenda of propping up the wealthy and powerful — which also describes the Republican removal of our CPC Deputy Chair Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05) from the Foreign Affairs Committee. This was a revenge resolution, designed to silence a refugee and war survivor because they do not agree with her views.
“Today, Republicans showed us who they are: apologists for corporate greed who want to gut Social Security and Medicare and protect billionaire power, politicians who are more focused on performative, insulting, absurd stunts than doing anything to help families across the country. We will not back down from our fight to deliver for working people, no matter what Republicans call it.
“Nor will we back down from our support for Rep. Omar. Progressives value Rep. Omar’s voice, her lived experience, and leadership. We know that she will not be silent, but will continue her fierce and necessary advocacy on behalf of human rights around the world. We stand with Rep. Omar today and always.”
