Madame Speaker? I rise to put before the House a request from a multi-metric ton of American voters.
Tomorrow, Wednesday morning, Congress will sit in Joint Session to hear an address, via streaming Internet, from Ukrainian President Zelensky. My understanding is such a Session is held in the House Chamber simply for reasons of space, but Madame Speaker, you preside over that space.
Recently President Zelensky addressed the US Senate in a like manner. He requested (for personal safety reasons) that the session NOT be recorded or distributed via phones-smarter-than-many-of-their-owners. Despite this, Senators Rubio and Daines did it anyway, deliberately, callously, and imperiling the President for cheap political points and fund-raising.
Now President Zelensky addresses the American Legislature from a beleaguered capital city under intermittent shelling and bombing, and from an out-gunned, out-manned democratic nation fighting for its political life. Under these wartime conditions, a Ukrainian request for on-line security during this address is prudent in the extreme.
Madame Speaker, I request that you offer those attending tomorrow morning Freedom of Choice.
A) Those attending are FREE to come without your cellphone or any electronic device.
B) You are FREE to check your cellphone and/or electronic devices at the door into the hands of the FBI for security for the duration of the address.
C) Legislative members and aides and staff have the FREEDOM NOT to attend.
D) Those who insist on bringing themselves onto the House floor WITH their cellphones/electronic devices will be FREE to do so if they are gagged, confined in strait-jackets, and duct-taped to their seats for the duration of the address.
E) In honor of yesterday’s Pi Day, supporters of the Ukrainian cause will be issued cream pies for the FREEDOM of flinging at those in the House (cf. Boebert, Gaetz, Greene,Gosar, et. al.) for the occasion deriding Zelensky, democracy, or the fight against autocracy. (Those most flung at to be billed for janitorial services and shampooing the House rug.)
Respectfully yours,
WineRev