Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) sparked a clash on the House floor after singling out a Department of Defense official for scorn.
The Colorado Republican proposed for the second time in two months an amendment to a government spending bill that would reduce the salary of Shawn Skelly, the highest-ranking transgender official serving in the Defense Department, under the Holman rule allowing lawmakers to target specific federal employees for salary cuts or firing.
"Like many of [President Joe] Biden's bureaucrats, Mr. Skelly is failing at his job and the basic responsibilities," Boebert said, misgendering the deputy undersecretary for personnel and readiness. "On his watch the Army missed their recruiting goal by 15,000 soldiers last year, and all other branches were forced to dig deep into their pools of delayed entry applicants to meet their recruitment goals. On top of that, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard are all expected to fall short of their recruitment goals this year."
"As DOD's highest-ranking trans official, this delusional man thinking he is a woman embodies and espouses the woke-ism that causes -- that's causing significant harm to our military readiness and troops' morale," Boebert said. "The military shouldn't be focused on this woke agenda and combating climate change. With him at the helm of readiness, these misguided policy pursuits will continue to be at the forefront of DOD's priorities. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to restore the focus of our Department of Defense, to defend our nation."
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Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) rose in opposition to Boebert's amendment and chastised her disrespectful treatment of Skelly.
"I rise in the strongest opposition to this amendment," McCollum said. "People deserve to be treated with dignity and respect when being addressed. Assistant Secretary Skelly has served in her role admirably, as she has done as her time as a naval officer. Assistant Secretary Skelly is a naval fighter for over 20 years. I am a little upset because the lack of respect that has been shown to Secretary Skelly by the last speaker is unsurprising for me on the House floor which we hold in high esteem."
"The colleague who offers this amendment provides no real substantial reason why Assistant Secretary Skelly should have her salary reduced," McCollum added. "There is only one reason why Assistant Secretary Skelly is being targeted, because she is simply a woman. I have fought long and hard with many women before me and with our allies for pay equity. We still have a long way to go, but I'm never going to vote to reduce a woman's salary."
Boebert then asked to respond and was permitted, and she then attacked McCollum.
"I guess delusion runs deep in the Democrat Party," Boebert said. "I would go on the record to say that science is a friend in this case and, sure, if you want to call Mr. Skelly a her, his chromosomes are still XY. We trust the science over here rather than delusion and playing dress up and imaginary games with our military readiness. Our military needs to be lethal and able to defend our national security, not pander to the woke extremist left and make up fairy tales."
McCollum then rose to defend Skelly's record and the service of other LGBTQ troops, and she again called out Boebert's bigotry.
"I'm not going to engage in hateful rhetoric," McCollum said. "I want to focus on the admirable service that our transgender, gay, bisexual members do in an all-voluntary Army. They volunteer to put their lives on the line. They deserve the dignity and respect this House can give them."
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