February 02, 2023

Statement from Chairman Pete Aguilar on the vote to remove Rep. Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Pete Aguilar, Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, issued the following statement on the vote to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee:

“Before voting to create a single job, before voting to lower costs by one penny, House Republicans are prioritizing political vendettas and catering to the most extreme elements of their party. Congresswoman Omar deserves to serve on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She has the background and breadth of experience to be an important voice for her constituents and communities across the country. The vote today is yet another payoff in the corrupt bargain Speaker McCarthy struck to win the votes of the MAGA Republicans who now control the People’s House. Make no mistake, these same people are demanding cuts to Social Security and Medicare and Speaker McCarthy is going to have to deliver for them, just as he did today.  

“When Democrats took action to remove Members from committees in the last Congress we did so on a bipartisan basis because they used violent rhetoric against their colleagues. The American people asked us to come together to address the most urgent challenges they’re facing and actions like this make bipartisan cooperation that much more difficult. House Democrats will continue to prioritize creating jobs and lowering costs for working families.”