The Democratic-led House of Representatives passed its H.R. 1 Bill to close our election loopholes, tighten up loose ethics requirements, and eliminate some of the dark money corrupting our elected officials—without a single Republican vote in favor. Republican Rep. Rodney Davis of Illinois’s 13th District spoke on the floor before voting on the bill to argue that Republicans felt this attempt at curbing corruption and supporting voting rights was an overreach on the part of the federal government. However, before Davis began his dissent on the bill, he asked the House to pause to recognize a notable moment in the history of the United States of America, addressing Rep. Deb Haaland, the New Mexico Democrat who was chairing the session.
Rep. Davis: Before I get started, could I ask for a point of personal privilege to have the members of this institution and the gallery recognize you as the first Native American woman to ever chair the House proceedings?
It’s a very moving moment, and a reminder that things are changing, the blue wave matters, and our hopes for the future depend on our continued vigilance in moving our country out of the darkness and into the light.