Ramirez Statement on Republican Day 1 Priorities: Consolidate Power, Scapegoat, Punish

Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) released the following statement on the Republican’s priorities for the 119th Congress. 

“Speaker Johnson has said that the 119th Congress will be consequential. Today, both in Speaker Johnson’s address and in the rules package the Republicans have passed, Republicans have shown us what the consequences of their leadership will be. In their first order of business, Republicans advanced a legislative package that abuses the power of Congress to persecute trans children athletes, take federal funding away from sanctuary cities like Chicago and Illinois, scapegoat immigrants, erode voting rights, and put new criminal penalties on reproductive care providers. For the first time in history, they seek to make the Speakership less accountable to the full body of legislators and to limit our ability to consider emergency bills. Overall, they are using the rules to make Congress less transparent, less accountable, and less responsive to the needs of the American people. Their governance will be marked by consolidated power, scapegoated communities, and campaigns of punishment. 

I took my oath today. As the Congresista of IL-03, I stand ready to stand against any and all legislation that hurts the communities I love and that I swore to serve. I am committed to serving the families of IL-03 for a second term and am proud that my first vote was to protect them from this extremist rule package.”