House Democrats are pushing for a vote on a resolution to censure Republican Rep. George Santos of New York for lying about his background during his successful 2020 campaign. The resolution, introduced by Rep. Ritchie Torres, would be a formal reprimand of Santos and requires a floor vote within two legislative days. If passed, it would be the latest in a series of actions taken by House Democrats to hold Santos accountable for his misconduct.
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Kevin Lyons, who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and stole a framed photo of Rep. John Lewis from Nancy Pelosi's office, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison on Friday. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell also ordered Lyons to pay restitution for the items he stole and a $100 special assessment.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) proposed an amendment to the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act, which was adopted in a 214-210 vote. The amendment aims to prohibit the Defense Department from considering race, gender, religion, political affiliations or “any other” when making decisions. During the floor debate, Crane referred to Black people as “colored people”, sparking a debate over the use of language when discussing race and ethnicity. Crane has since apologized for his remarks and the bill is expected to pass the House this week.
The House of Representatives is set to vote Friday on the annual defense policy bill, which has been a bipartisan effort for more than six decades. However, the bill is now facing an uncertain future due to Republican amendments that would cut funding for abortion- and gender transition-related services, causing sharp opposition from congressional Democrats. The Pentagon had previously announced that it would provide travel allowances for troops to access “non-covered reproductive health care”, but the NDAA amendments would reverse this decision. It remains to be seen if the bill will pass with the amendments intact, or if the two parties can come to an agreement on a compromise.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) sparked controversy on the House floor when he referred to non-white Americans serving in the U.S. military as “colored people” while proposing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) argued that Crane's language was "offensive and unacceptable" and that it was "unfortunate that we have to debate an amendment that seeks to limit the progress of people of color and women." Crane argued that his amendment was meant to ensure that recruitment and promotion decisions were based on merit, rather than on any other ideological concepts. The amendment was ultimately voted down, highlighting the ongoing struggle to ensure that recruitment and promotion decisions in the military are based on merit.
At a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, FBI Director Chris Wray faced sharp questioning from Republicans who accused the agency of being "weaponized" against them. Wray, a registered Republican, defended the FBI's actions, saying that it is an apolitical organization and is committed to protecting the rights of all Americans, regardless of their political views.
Iowa legislators passed a bill banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy late Tuesday night, with vocal objections from Democratic lawmakers and abortion advocates. Governor Reynolds will sign the bill on Friday, and if it is not blocked by a court, it will go into effect immediately. The bill's passage marks a major victory for pro-life advocates in Iowa, and could have far-reaching implications for abortion access in the state.
House members returned to Washington Tuesday to begin a three-week stint at the Capitol, but confusion remains over Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's membership in the House Freedom Caucus. Members of the right-wing group have refused to comment on the matter, and Greene herself is unsure of her status. Despite the three-week session, the issue is likely to remain unresolved until the House takes a six-week break at the end of the month.