New GOP Mom In Congress Wants Family Separation For Migrants, But Not For New Moms In Congress
On Tuesday, freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) launched a invoice permitting House members to forged votes on behalf of latest moms unable to attend Congress in particular person, giving the moms time to get well and be with their newborns with out the trouble of touring to Washington for work.
On Wednesday, in a tense trade with a witness at a committee listening to, Luna mentioned she wished migrants claiming asylum on the U.S. border to be not less than quickly separated from any youngsters who accompany them.
“The reason why we want family separation, until we can confirm if they are the actual biological parents, is because these kids are being trafficked,” she mentioned at a House oversight listening to on immigration.
The witness, David Bier, affiliate director of immigration research on the libertarian Cato Institute, had mentioned the Donald Trump administration had engaged in pointless “psychological torture of children” with its household separation coverage. He challenged Luna’s assertion of widespread baby trafficking by individuals posing as younger migrants’ dad and mom, which led to the trade.
Luna doubled down later within the day on her remark, saying in a video posted on social media she didn’t make apologies for endorsing the household separation coverage though it “triggered a lot of people.”
“I’m sorry that we’re breaking through your programming, but the fact is family separation and biological confirmation saves lives,” she mentioned.
Just a day earlier than the listening to, Luna launched H. Res. 967, which might change the foundations of the House to permit members who had given delivery as much as six weeks afterwards to vote by proxy.
At a press convention Thursday, Luna didn’t reply straight when requested if she noticed any contradiction in her stances.
“I think we need to focus on the maternity vote by proxy,” she mentioned.
“What I can tell you is I don’t make any apologies for that statement,” she mentioned of the household separation dustup. “I would absolutely rather have my child confirmed that that’s my biological child if someone was claiming to be their parent.”
House Republicans strenuously opposed proxy voting when it was instituted by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) throughout the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic as a security measure.
But Luna, who gave delivery to a son named George Henry in August, advised the New York Times her perspective had modified partially due to post-pregnancy medical problems that saved her from with the ability to journey for some time.
“You’re being forced to choose between your career and having a family,” she mentioned.
On Thursday, she mentioned the invoice ought to get bipartisan help, with Democrats being “pro-women” and Republicans being “pro-family,” however mentioned either side have reservations.
“We champion pro-life and and pro-family values, but there’s some hesitancy I think on supporting it,” she mentioned.
Luna’s invoice had drawn 24 co-sponsors as of Thursday. Only 4 have been Republicans, nonetheless, and two of these have been girls, Reps. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.).
Fearing a backlash from the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs resolution permitting states to limit abortion entry, Republicans are attempting to emphasise their family-friendly credentials forward of November.
“We want to make it easier for working mothers and moms and dads to start and raise a family,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) mentioned at a press convention on Wednesday.
Luna herself leaned into her personal new position in her back-and-forth at Wednesday’s listening to.
When Beir began to problem her by saying, “As a father,” Luna minimize him off.
“I’m a mother,” she mentioned. “We can go back and forth.”
