WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a resolution removing Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee over her controversial remarks on issues including the relationship between Israel and the United States.
The House passed the resolution removing Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee in a vote of 218-211 along partisan lines, reported Sputnik.
The resolution accuses Omar of advancing anti-Semitic tropes, including a February 2019 comment claiming the Jewish lobby was buying political support in the United States.
“It’s all about the Benjamins (US$100 bills), baby,” Omar is quoted as having said on the relations between the two countries.
The resolution also cites a comment from March 2019, accusing Omar of having “trivialised” the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks against the United States by describing them as “some people did something”.
The Foreign Affairs Committee is viewed by other nations as speaking for Congress and Omar’s comments have brought “dishonour” to the House of Representatives, the resolution said.
“I didn’t come to Congress to be silent… My leadership and voice will not be diminished if I am not on this committee for one term. My voice will get louder and stronger and my leadership will be celebrated around the world as it has been,” Omar said during remarks on the resolution.
On Tuesday, Omar, who was born in Somalia but fled as a child to the United States under refugee status, announced the forming of a US-Africa Policy Working Group amid the uncertainty of her place on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
The working group will focus on consistent engagement with experts and policymakers working with and in Africa, Omar said.