2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Creating An Office To Monitor And
Combat Islamophobia To Track And Combat Islamophobia In Foreign
Countries. In December 2021, Fitzpatrick voted against the Combating
International Islamophobia Act which would, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "create an Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia within
the State Department, headed by a presidentially-appointed special
envoy, to monitor and combat 'acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic
incitement' in foreign countries and coordinate related reporting
activities." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a
vote of 219-212. [House Vote 448,
12/14/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/14/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5665]
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Cited Various Instances Of Islamophobia,
Including The Internment Camps Of Uyghurs In China And The Genocide
Of The Rohingya People In Burma. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who introduced the bill
(HR 5665) aimed at countering Islamophobia across the globe, cited
several examples of anti-Muslim violence, including China holding
Uyghurs in concentration camps and the Rohingya genocide in Burma."
[Congressional Quarterly,
12/9/21]
Several Republicans Argued The Bill Was "Redundant" Since The
State Department Has The Democracy, Human Rights And Labor And
International Religious Bureaus And The U.S. Commission On Religious
Freedom. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Several GOP
lawmakers strongly opposed Omar's bill, arguing it was redundant in
light of the State Department's existing Democracy, Human Rights and
Labor and International Religious Freedom bureaus, as well as the
U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom." [Congressional Quarterly,
12/9/21]
Congressman Steve Chabot Of Ohio Said The Persecution Of Muslims
Was Not Unique And That It Would Not Be Fair To Have One Office
Dedicates To Anti-Muslim Violence While Ignoring The Persecution Of
Other Religions. According to Congressional Quarterly, "'Sadly,
the persecution of Muslims is not unique. As a result, it is
difficult to justify a special office dedicated to dealing
exclusively with the persecution of Muslims while ignoring the
mistreatment and violence directed at many other religions,' Rep.
Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, said." [Congressional Quarterly,
12/9/21]
Republicans Attempted To Narrow The Scope Of Islamophobia To China
And Block Assessment Of Actions By The Israeli Government.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "Several GOP amendments,
including proposals to narrow the bill to focus only on Islamophobia
in China and to block the special envoy's office from assessing any
action by the Israeli government, will get roll call votes on
Friday, but are unlikely to be adopted." [Congressional Quarterly,
12/9/21]
The Special Envoy To The New Office To Monitor And Combat
Islamophobia Would Need To Be Nominated By The President And
Confirmed By The Senate. According to Congressional Quarterly,
"Florida Republican Brian Mast did secure the panel's vote to add
language to the bill to require the special envoy to be appointed by
the president and confirmed by the Senate." [Congressional
Quarterly,
12/9/21]
House Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans Argued That The Bill
Was A "Backhanded Effort" To Portray The GOP As Islamophobes For
Criticizing Congresswoman Ilhan Omar And Other Muslim Lawmakers.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "GOP members of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee sharply opposed the Minnesota Democrat's
legislation, arguing it is everything from redundant to a backhanded
effort to paint Republicans critical of her and other Muslim
lawmakers as anti-Muslim." [Congressional Quarterly,
12/10/21]
Republicans Argued That Having A Diplomatic Voice To Tackle
Anti-Muslim Violence Was Not Necessary. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Republicans made clear they did not view a designated
American diplomatic voice to combat Islamophobia as necessary.'
[Congressional Quarterly,
12/10/21]
While Discussing The Bill In Committee, Republicans Continued To
Bring Up The Need To Combat Anti-Semitism Instead And Brought Up
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's Past Comments Criticizing Israel.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "But Republicans continued to
stress the need for Congress to fight against anti-Semitism, with
GOP Reps. Lee Zeldin of New York and Brian Mast of Florida panning
Omar for past remarks she made that were critical of Israel."
[Congressional Quarterly,
12/10/21]
Republicans Claimed The Bill Did Not Have A Coherent Definition Of
Islamophobia And That A Hearing Was Needed To Have The State
Department "Weigh In" On The Bill. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Republicans argued the bill lacked a clear definition of
Islamophobia and that a hearing should have been held for the State
Department to weigh in on the legislation." [Congressional
Quarterly,
12/14/21]
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Highlighted Examples Of Islamophobia,
Including China's Human Rights Violations Against Uyghurs And Former
President Donald Trump's Campaign Promise To Prohibit Muslims From
Entering The Country. According to The Hill, "She instead pointed
to a global trend of anti-Muslim sentiment around the world ---
including the Chinese government's alleged abuses against the
predominately Muslim Uyghur ethnic minority --- and Trump calling
for 'a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United
States' as a presidential candidate in 2015." [The Hill,
12/14/21]
The Commotion That Led To The Bill's Vote Was A Video Of
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert Suggesting Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
Could Be A Muslim Terrorist. According to The Hill, "The furor
that led to Tuesday's vote began when a video surfaced over the
Thanksgiving weekend of Boebert recalling an incident --- which Omar
denies ever happened --- when she saw the progressive lawmaker in a
Capitol elevator. 'I said, 'Well, she doesn't have a backpack. We
should be fine,'' Boebert recalled, drawing laughs from the
audience. 'And I said, 'Oh, look, the jihad squad decided to show up
for work today.''" [The Hill,
12/14/21]
During The Debate On The Bill, Congressman Scott Perry Of
Pennsylvania Accused Congresswoman Omar Of Holding Anti-Semitic
Views And Being Affiliated With Terrorist Groups. According to The
Hill, "And during debate on the legislation, Democrats objected to
remarks from Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) in which he accused Omar of
being antisemitic and affiliated with terrorist organizations.
'American taxpayers shouldn't be forced to pay terrorist
organizations, organizations that the maker of this bill is
affiliated with,' Perry said, before Democrats asked for his remarks
to be taken down." [The Hill,
12/14/21]
Congressman Michael McCaul Of Texas Argued That The Executive
Branch Could "Crack Down In Protected Speech" Because The Bill
Lacked A Thorough Definition Of Islamophobia. According to
Politico, "Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the
House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he supports the 'spirit and
intent' of the bill. But he raised concerns that it could empower
executive branch officials to crack down on protected speech because
the word 'Islamophobia' isn't defined in the legislation. 'It's so
vague and subjective that it could be used against legitimate speech
for partisan purposes,' McCaul said on the House floor." [Politico,
12/14/21]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Requiring The State Department To
Report Annually On Violence Against Muslims, Propaganda Justifying
Racism And Violence Against Muslims, Governmental Attempts To Promote
Tolerance Of Muslims, And Instances Of Forced Labor, Reeducation Or
Concertation Camps. In December 2021, Fitzpatrick voted against the
Combating International Islamophobia Act which would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "expand requirements for annual department
reports related to human rights and religious freedom to include
information regarding Islamophobia, including to describe the nature and
extent of instances of physical violence and harassment against Muslims;
instances of propaganda promoting or justifying 'racial hatred' or
violence against Muslims; government actions to protect religious
freedoms and promote tolerance of Muslims; and instances of forced
labor, reeducation or concentration camps such as those targeting
Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 219-212. [House Vote
448, 12/14/21;
Congressional Quarterly,
12/14/21; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
5665]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Forbidding Funds Of This Bill From
Being Used To Impose A Muslim Ban Nor Endorse The Boycott, Divestment,
Sanctions Movement Against Israel. In December 2021, Fitzpatrick voted
against the Combating International Islamophobia Act which would,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "prohibit funds made available
pursuant to the bill from being used to promote or endorse the ideology
of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement against Israel or to
promote or endorse a 'Muslim ban,' such as former President Trump's
order restricting travel from certain Muslim-majority countries." The
vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 219-212.
[House Vote 448,
12/14/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/14/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5665]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Combating
International Islamophobia Act. In December 2021, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "adoption of the
rule (H Res 849) that would provide for House floor consideration of the
bill that would create a State Department office to monitor and combat
international Islamophobia (HR 5665). The rule would provide for up to
one hour of debate on the bill. It would also provide for automatic
adoption of the Meeks, D-N.Y., manager's amendment to the bill that
would make technical corrections to accurately refer to the Xinjiang
Uyghur Autonomous Region of China." The vote was on the adoption of the
rule. The House adopted the rule by a vote of 219-213. [House Vote 444,
12/14/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/14/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5665;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
849]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Combating
International Islamophobia Act. In December 2021, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "motion to order
the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment)
on the rule (H Res 849) that would provide for House floor consideration
of the bill that would create a State Department office to monitor and
combat international Islamophobia (HR 5665). The rule would provide for
up to one hour of debate on the bill. It would also provide for
automatic adoption of the Meeks, D-N.Y., manager's amendment to the
bill that would make technical corrections to accurately refer to the
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China." The vote was on a motion to
order the previous question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of
220-210. [House Vote 443,
12/14/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/14/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5665;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
849]