SCHNEIDER STATEMENT ON RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL
WASHINGTON – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) released the following statement on his vote against H. Res. 878:
“I have the greatest sympathy and respect for my colleague Rep. Chuy Garcia as he and his family confront personal tragedies and health challenges. I appreciate his lifelong commitment to his community that he has demonstrated over decades of service and admire his strength and commitment to his family that is reflected in the difficult decision to retire from Congress.
“Despite – or maybe because of – his record of community service, I was disappointed in the way Rep. Garcia ultimately announced his retirement that, on its face, precluded others from seeking to represent Illinois’s 4th District in the 120th Congress. Illinois has a long history of backroom deals and last-minute maneuvers that undermine people’s confidence in politics and politicians. I believe such dealings are a disservice to constituents and yet another symptom of a political system that desperately needs repair to restore the trust of the people. Voters pick their representatives – it must never be the other way around.
“I also appreciate that Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is willing to bravely step up and speak out when she sees what appears to be unseemly political gamesmanship. While I agree with Rep. Perez that such political maneuvers, though legal, are improper and should be criticized, I do not think consuming precious legislative time in the House of Representatives is the proper place or method for expressing such criticisms. After the longest shutdown in U.S. history, the House should be focused on funding the government, lowering the cost of living, and protecting Americans’ healthcare. We should be working locally to change the state laws that enable, and even empower, abuse of our election system.
“Furthermore, I fear members bringing their critiques – justified or not – to the floor of the House will lead to an endless flow of personal attacks that will only result in further gridlock and dysfunction. We have spent much of the past 24 hours focused on Rep. Perez’s resolution, only to see it immediately followed with another resolution focused on a colleague filed by Rep. Ralph Norman. These and future such distractions take up valuable House time and resources we could otherwise devote to making healthcare more affordable and bringing down prices that are spiking due to Trump’s policies.
“For these reasons, I voted ‘No’ on H. Res. 878.”
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