Dems Roll Republicans in Lively House Session

Defying their reputation for legislative disarray, House Democrats held together and managed to defeat measures on abortion and Ukraine funding pushed by the Republican majority.

Rep. Emmer

House Majority Leader Tom Emmer (Minnesota) authored HR 2, a bill that would have banned abortions nationwide in cases beyond three weeks of gestation. "All human life born and unborn should be protected," proclaimed Emmer. "God bless babies," added Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida). 

Democrats pushed back on the measure. Rep. Katie Porter (D-California) noted that it is impossible in most cases for a woman to know she is pregnant before three weeks of gestation. Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez warned that the measure would lead to dangerous illegal abortions. 

Rep. Bush

Reps. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colorado) and Cori Bush (D-Missouri) brought up examples of their own pregnancies, with Bush noting that she was homeless for a time while raising her small children. "Where was the concern for our babies then?" she asked.

All Democrats voted against the bill. Republicans held a two-seat majority in the chamber, but Reps. Nancy Mace (Arizona) and David Joyce (Ohio) voted "present," depriving the bill of a majority.

It was a similar story on Speaker Andy Biggs' bill to curtail US funding for Ukraine. Biggs claimed that the war was at a stalemate and that the US had done what it could do, calling for a reduction in spending to help bring the warring parties to a resolution. He additionally claimed that the Ukrainian government is one of the most corrupt in Europe and continued US support was only worsening this.

Rep. Salazar

Democrats offered a vigorous defense of Ukraine. They were aided by Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar (Florida), who parted with her colleagues in her support for Ukraine, which she claimed was a push back against Russian communism. "We’re forgetting the real thing; this is communism," she argued. (Editor's note: Russia is not a communist nation.)

Salazar joined all Democrats in opposing the bill, which failed on an 11-11 vote. 

Republicans were successful in pushing through Rep. Debbie Lesko's (R-Arizona) bill to add $5 billion in funding for further wall construction at the US-Mexico border.