Title: Censuring Representative Jody Hice of Georgia.
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
This resolution censures Representative Jody Hice for certain statements he made regarding the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 421 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 421

             Censuring Representative Jody Hice of Georgia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 20, 2021

 Mr. Cicilline (for himself, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
Cooper, Ms. Chu, Mrs. Demings, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Jackson 
 Lee, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Kildee, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. McEachin, 
Mr. Payne, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Jones, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, 
 Mrs. Torres of California, Ms. Jayapal, and Mr. Espaillat) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ethics

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
             Censuring Representative Jody Hice of Georgia.

Whereas in January 2021, the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
        Representatives released its report, ``Materials in Support of H. Res. 
        24, Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for 
        High Crimes and Misdemeanors'', which stated:
            ``To enter the Capitol, the insurrectionists desecrated the Capitol 
        including by, among other acts, ransacking and looting Member offices, 
        stealing and destroying electronics, government property, and sensitive 
        materials, and engaging in violence, which eventually resulted in at 
        least five deaths. To enter the Capitol, the insurrectionists 
        overwhelmed Capitol Police, scaled walls, used makeshift ladders, 
        shattered windows, and overran barricades. Although Capitol Police 
        locked the gallery and floor doors and Members and staff barricaded 
        themselves in offices, the mob stormed Member offices, vandalizing and 
        smashing property, overturning furniture, and, in some cases, stealing 
        electronics.
            ``Insurrectionists also severely damaged the building itself. They 
        left bullet marks in the building walls, looted art, destroyed 
        monuments, including a commemorative display honoring late congressman 
        John Lewis, smeared their feces in several hallways, and fatally injured 
        a Capitol Police officer. Several brandished the Confederate battle flag 
        and extremist paraphernalia.
            ``By approximately 2:45 PM, insurrectionists had breached the House 
        and Senate floors and began posing for photographs, including on the 
        dais where Vice President Mike Pence had been presiding just moments 
        before. Other images showed rioters smoking marijuana in Capitol rooms. 
        The insurrectionists had, among their gear and weaponry, bullet-proof 
        vests, zip ties used for handcuffs, metal knuckles, sticks and poles, 
        knives, and firearms; in total, at least six handguns were recovered 
        from subsequent arrests. Videos confirmed that these insurrectionists 
        were openly threatening specific Members of Congress. For example, some 
        of the attackers said, `Tell Pelosi we're coming for that 
        [expletive]'.'';
Whereas the Committee's report also stated, ``During the attack, Vice President 
        Pence, Members of Congress, and staff were sheltering in secure 
        locations. Spurred by the false claims of fraud, some of the attackers 
        said, `Tell Pelosi we're coming for that [expletive]', and `Hang Mike 
        Pence'. Some attackers carried zip ties intended to be used as 
        handcuffs. A noose was hung outside the Capitol. Multiple members of the 
        Capitol Police were severely injured or killed.'';
Whereas the Committee's report also stated, ``Later video would emerge of 
        insurrectionists inside the Capitol chanting `Hang Mike Pence!''';
Whereas on May 12, 2021, during a hearing entitled ``The Capitol Insurrection: 
        Unexplained Delays and Unanswered Questions'' held by the Committee on 
        Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives, Representative 
        Jody Hice of Georgia made statements minimizing the responsibility of 
        the insurrectionists who attacked the United States Capitol on January 
        6, 2021, for the death of United States Capitol Police Officer Brian 
        Sicknick and painting the rioters as the actual victims of the 
        insurrection;
Whereas among these statements, Representative Hice said, ``Another narrative I 
        want to bring up is that the-the-the media claims that the tragic death 
        of Officer Brian Sicknick was a result of pro-Trump mobs bashing his 
        skull with a fire extinguisher, which we all know now did not happen. 
        Officer Sicknick, his autopsy revealed that he suffered no blunt trauma. 
        In fact, his mother has since come out saying he died of a stroke. In 
        fact, it was Trump supporters who lost their lives that day, not Trump 
        supporters who were taking the lives of others.''; and
Whereas undermining the seriousness of the insurrection that occurred on January 
        6 against the United States Capitol and Members of Congress, and 
        dangerously mischaracterizing the events of that day, disrespects the 
        sacrifices made by law enforcement officers on that day and creates 
        danger by emboldening and legitimizing future actors who would attack 
        the United States Capitol in a similar manner: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) Representative Jody Hice of Georgia be hereby censured;
            (2) Representative Jody Hice of Georgia forthwith present 
        himself in the well of the House of Representatives for the 
        pronouncement of censure; and
            (3) Representative Jody Hice of Georgia be censured with 
        the public reading of this resolution by the Speaker.
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