WASHINGTON—Rep. Franklin today voted against a partisan bill brought forth by the House majority to attack political opponents under the guise of combating Islamophobia. The bill H.R. 5665, would among other things, establish a Special Envoy to Counter Islamophobia at the Department of State and singles out a former president for his actions to ensure the safety and security of the United States. Many may not be aware that the State Department already has at least three officers specifically tasked with combating Islamophobia. They include the Special Representative for Muslim Communities, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, and the Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Rights, and Labor. Furthermore, Democrat leadership on the House Rules Committee rejected Republican amendments to the bill, including Franklin’s amendment which would remove a partisan attack on former President Donald Trump.

"Today, I voted against H.R. 5665. I condemn all forms of religious bigotry, but find it disappointing (though not surprising) that my Democrat colleagues are using a serious issue as a tool to engage in a partisan attack against former President Trump," said Rep. Franklin. "Their refusal to even discuss Republican amendments makes it clear that my Democrat colleagues are not serious about condemning religious bigotry across the globe."

BACKGROUND

Section 4 of H.R. 5665 includes a phrase which prevents funds made available by the act to be used “to promote or endorse a Muslim ban, such as the one instituted by former President Trump.” Traditionally, Congress has avoided specifically targeting politicians in the laws it drafts. The inclusion of former President Trump in the Act breaks this precedent. Rep. Franklin’s amendment would have struck this language from the bill.

The term “Muslim ban” is a partisan misnomer that was used to attack the Trump Administration’s restrictions placed on several countries that were known terrorist safe havens. Some of the countries included were Libya, Yemen, Chad, and Somalia, all of which have extensive records of terrorist activity within their borders. North Korea and Venezuela, both of which are non-Muslim countries, also had restrictions placed upon them due their support for terrorism. Furthermore, several countries with the world’s largest Muslim populations were not subject to the restrictions, including: Indonesia, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.