Dec 24, 2024 Story by: Editor
WASHINGTON (TNND) — Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., both departing members delivered heartfelt farewell speeches on the House floor as they approached their final days in Congress.
Both representatives were defeated in their Democratic primary elections earlier this year and will not be part of the 119th Congress. According to the House website, members will soon leave Washington, D.C., for “district work periods” until the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3.
Rep. Bush became emotional as she reflected on her time representing Missouri’s 1st District.
“It has been the honor of my life to be your congresswoman, Missouri’s 1st District,” she said through tears. “Mom and Dad, I know you’re proud.”
She continued, “From St. Louis to Gaza and everywhere beyond and in between, always remember this congresswoman loves you and will always have your back even if it means I lose something.”
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., were visibly moved as they sat behind Bush. Both fellow congressional members, who will return to Congress next year, gave her a standing ovation following her remarks.
Last week, Rep. Bush criticized the pro-Israel political action committee AIPAC on X, accusing the group’s “dark money” of contributing to her primary defeat.
“No matter how much money AIPAC & its affiliates spend to obscure & deny the facts on the ground, the truth will prevail,” she wrote.
Rep. Bowman, in his farewell address, expressed optimism about his future and called for liberation for his constituents in New York.
“Free Palestine, free the Bronx, and free all marginalized people,” he declared.
He also revisited his controversial decision in 2023 to trigger a Capitol Hill fire alarm during a vote. In a statement to Spectrum News New York, Bowman expressed regret over the incident, saying, “I wish I didn’t pull that damn fire alarm, you know what I’m saying?”
When asked if the fire alarm controversy contributed to his primary loss, Bowman dismissed the notion, stating, “hell no” and attributing his defeat to his “super pro-Israel district.”
Earlier this week, Bowman penned a pointed letter addressed to “white people,” in which he reflected on his frustrations.
“I don’t know why I feel the need to keep talking to you,” he wrote. “I don’t know why part of me still has hope for you and for us. Some of you are too far gone.” Image Source: CBS Austin
