House Oversight Committee Dispute Over Citizenship Questions in Census
On Tuesday, tensions flared as Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona expressed his anger toward Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida. The altercation occurred during the House Oversight Committee’s discussion of HR 151, the Equal Representation Act, which proposes including citizenship status questions in the 2030 Census and future surveys.
Biggs was attempting to articulate his reasons for supporting the bill when Frost interrupted him. He remarked, “This bill is about correcting an inequity, so let me give you an example: How many California legislators are there who shouldn’t be here because they overcounted the illegal alien apportionment? By some estimates, it’s as many as seven. My state has nine members. Will we lose some? My guess is we might lose—” just as Frost interjected, “The Constitution clearly counts people regardless of status.”
The way the census results influence the Congressional apportionment consequently impacts the number of votes each state has in the Electoral College, the body responsible for choosing the U.S. president.
Biggs snapped back at Frost, saying, “Then I’m going to interrupt you from now on when you’re talking. Is that okay? You were so rude. You didn’t let me finish my comment. I should have made my point when I could have raised my hand and said, ‘Hey, five minutes, please.’ Now, can I keep interrupting you while you’re doing your five minutes?”
“No, I don’t mean that,” he continued, adding, “because you know what? I have manners and respect, and you lack that.”
Presently, California boasts 52 seats in the House of Representatives, with 43 of those held by Democrats. In a previous House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Democratic Rep. Yvette Clark of New York mentioned she wants Haitian immigrants in her district to assist with the redistricting process.
“I’m from Brooklyn, New York,” Clark stated. “We have a diaspora that can absorb significant numbers of immigrants, and when we hear our colleagues talking, we know that the inn doors are closed. There are no rooms in the inn, I mean, I need more people in my district just for the rezoning.”
