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Today, during his opening statement in the House Judiciary Committee markup of H.R. 4170, the Disclosing Foreign Influence Act, Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) raised the censure resolution being led by the Congressional Black Caucus and House Judiciary Committee Democrats concerning President Trump’s racist “shithole” remarks last week, and called on his colleagues to formally repudiate the President’s “hateful, discriminatory, and racist” comments. The CBC-Judiciary censure resolution will be introduced tomorrow, January 18, 2018.
Below are Ranking Member Nadler’s remarks as prepared for delivery:
“Before I yield back, I must note one issue that ought to be at the forefront of the Judiciary Committee’s agenda, instead of this bill today, and that is President Trump’s unconscionable and racist comments last week.
“It has been widely reported that during a White House meeting to discuss a proposed bipartisan immigration deal, the President made a number of racist and offensive comments, including:
“When discussing the inclusion of Haitians in the deal, asking ‘Haitians, why do we need more Haitians? Take them out;’
“Referring to African countries as ‘shitholes’; and
“Suggesting that instead of accepting immigrants from Haiti and Africa, we should instead bring in more people from countries like Norway, with the clear implication that he was referring to countries that are predominantly White.
“I ask all of my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to repudiate these comments immediately. I hope that they will join Mr. Richmond, the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, myself, and many other Democrats, including the many members of this Committee, in supporting a formal resolution of censure condemning the President’s hateful, discriminatory, and racist statements. This is a time when Congress should speak with one voice, and I hope we will seize the moment.
“I know that the White House has disputed whether the President used the specific vulgar term I referenced earlier, but they have not disavowed the racist sentiment behind it. At a minimum, I hope we will reaffirm this nation’s historic commitment to diversity, and its long history as a beacon of hope and refuge for those who need its protection.
“As we condemn the President’s comments, we must also not lose sight of the fact that we are inching closer to a deadline that puts 800,000 Dreamers at risk of being expelled from the only country they have ever known. It is imperative that we pass the Dream Act without delay, and without the hateful and divisive rhetoric flowing from the White House.
“Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.”
