Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-cortez called out Republican lawmakers for the witnesses they call to House committee hearings, describing them as "sheer mediocrity." The New York congresswoman also added that if Republican voters knew the kind of people being called on to defend their point of view “they'd be upset.”
One of the things that genuinely surprised me in Congress is the sheer mediocrity of witnesses called forth by the GOP in hearings.
Yesterday they brought in a guy w/ a polka dot bowtie backed by oil lobbyists arguing that fossil fuels are “healthy.” HEALTHY.
It’s embarrassing. https://t.co/B17AsEZuCP
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 2, 2019
I honestly thought GOP witnesses would be well-prepared, w/ sophisticated arguments for the opposing view – evil-genius lobbyist types.
But they’re often sloppy + reaching (not all though). I think if everyday GOP voters saw the witnesses called on their behalf, they’d be upset.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 2, 2019
Ocasio-cortez cited an unnamed witness called who argued that fossil fuels, linked by scientists to be a cause of climate change, were "healthy."
Separately, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta could not answer questions asked to him by Rep. Lauren Underwood about his decision to change policy around women's contraceptives.
Sec. Acosta didn’t know women use contraceptives to treat medical conditions, but is still trying to limit our access to birth control.
He didn’t know junk plans don’t protect people with pre-existing conditions, but he’s trying to expand them anyway.
Not ???????? on ????????my ???????? watch! pic.twitter.com/P7v57UT3Q6
— Lauren Underwood (@RepUnderwood) May 1, 2019
“Women’s lives and their health depend on their ability to access contraceptives,” said Rep. Underwood, who before entering the House was a nurse. “Your actions, your actions, sir, are denying science and putting American women at risk.”
Labor Department regulations allow employers with religious or moral objections to opt-out of providing health insurance that covers contraceptives, that a federal court in Pennsylvania issued an injunction to.
“For women, reproductive health care is health care,” Underwood, said to Costa at the hearing. “But your department has issued rules that deny the science of reproductive health care and allow employers to deny workers health insurance that covers contraceptives.”
Underwood's grilling of Secretary Costa also led to more Ocasio-Cortez tweets, as she asked how men would feel if they had to deal with health care decisions being made by people who did not understand their bodies’ needs.
The mediocrity is astounding.
How would these guys like it if Gov was 80% female, constantly looking for ways to limit or outlaw condoms + vasectomies, yet had little/no medical context?
Sounds crazy? The flipside is what women & LGBTQ+ people have to deal w/ ALL the time. ????????♀️ https://t.co/6GfysHlNFD
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 2, 2019
“How would these guys like it if [government] was 80 [percent] female, constantly looking for ways to limit or outlaw condoms [and] vasectomies, yet had little, no medical context? Sounds crazy?” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter. “The flipside is what women & LGBTQ+ people have to deal [with] all the time.”
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Quits Facebook And Calls Social Media A ‘Health Risk’
