In a powerful statement in the US Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) responded to a “disrespectful” comment from her GOP colleague, saying she “will not yield to disrespectful men”.
The footage, which has now gone viral, shows Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic representative for New York, attempting to ask a question about Medicaid requirements before being interrupted by Representative Randy Weber, a Republican for Texas.
On Wednesday, the House committee met to consider reforms to Medicaid requirements that would allow patients who are pregnant or experiencing postpartum care to forgo work requirements needed to access program support services.
The legislation does not clearly state whether miscarriages qualify under the Republicans proposed work requirements, which is the issue Ocasio-Cortez attempted to ask about before being interrupted and reprimanded.
“May I interrupt. I’m glad you’re addressing us instead of speaking to the camera,” said Weber.
Ocasio-Cortez then attempted to ask her question once more before loudly reprimanded by panel chair Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) and asked to yield.
Later on, Ocasio-Cortez addressed Weber’s comment and defended her right to look toward the American public.
“There are 13.7 million Americans on the other side of that screen there. Hello, hello. I’m talking to you because I work for you. They deserve to see what is happening here because there are plenty of districts, including Republican ones, where 25 percent of your constituents are on Medicaid, 40 percent of your constituents are on Medicaid,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
When she was again asked to yield, Ocasio-Cortez said: “I will not yield because it was a terribly disrespectful comment, and I will not yield to disrespectful men.”
Defending Ocasio-Cortez, fellow Democratic representative for New York Yvette Clarke argued that representatives could not control an individual’s eye movement.
“When the gentlelady from New York looks at the screen — if she wants to check her hair, she wants to say anything she wants to to that screen — she has the right to do so,” Clarke said.
“There’s not a member on this panel that can tell another member where to look, who to look at and where they want to look.”