Pa. Dems withdraw Women’s Month resolution after GOP pushes for clarification vote
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Pennsylvania House Democrats have canceled consideration of a resolution recognizing March as “National Women’s Month” after a Republican lawmaker filed an amendment to include the definition of “woman’s” body shape in the text.
What was expected to be a quick and symbolic vote instead turned out to be a short but telling one, with Republicans forcing the question out in the open and Democrats choosing to block the resolution rather than define “woman” in the law – leading to laughter on the floor of the House.
House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Southwest Philadelphia, is bringing a quick succession of bills to consideration late in Tuesday’s session when she asks the clerk to introduce House Resolution 390.
The bill, from Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York, recognized March as Women’s History Month in Pennsylvania. Hill-Evans wrote in her introduction to the bill that she is “celebrating[es] a rare achievement for women, “often overlooked.”
ALITO PRESSES TRANS WOMAN’S LAWYER ON WOMAN’S DEFINITION DURING SCOTUS HEARING
State Attorney Aaron Bernstine of Lawrence County offers an amendment. (Pa. House Video via YouTube (screengrab))
“Will the House agree to the resolution?” McClinton asked the 102-100 Democrat-majority chamber.
The clerk pointed out that Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-Ellwood City, has amendments to offer, and McClinton saw him introduce them.
“Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, this amendment is straightforward and clear,” declared Bernstine.
“It defines what a woman really is – because we know what that is. Thank you,” he said.
The noise in the House chamber stopped for a moment as movement was seen in the leadership forum.
“The decision is temporarily over,” McClinton announced after a few seconds, prompting loud laughter from the room.
McClinton immediately turned to the clerk to read the next piece of legislation, “The Fairness Act” from DNC Vice Chairman Malcolm Kenyatta, a state representative from North Philadelphia, and continued with the day’s program.
NANCY MACE SLAMS TRANS LAWYER FOR REFUSING TO SPECIFY SEX AT SCOTUS WOMEN’S SPORTS HEARING
The Pennsylvania State Capitol as seen from State Street in Harrisburg. (Paul Weaver/Getty Images)
The exchange echoes a key moment in Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing, where Sen. Marsha Blackburn pressed her to define “what a woman is,” a question that became a bone of contention in broader discussions of gender and policy.
In Wednesday’s debate, Bernstine defended his amendment as a measure of common sense, saying that defining a woman as having XX chromosomes should not be controversial.
“What happened was that the Speaker canceled the decision… because we would have people voting to define what a woman really is,” he said.
4 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST WOMEN’S HISTORY BILL ON WOMEN’S HISTORY AMENDMENT
“So they pulled it because they were afraid to explain what a woman really is.”
Since the decision was officially considered “temporarily over,” it can still be revived.
“We will see if the Democrats can stand up and define what a woman is. They will always put women in the place they have been in all the recent times.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
Jason Gottesman, a spokesman for the House Republican Caucus, also told Fox News Digital that “if Democrats want to celebrate what they refuse to explain, it’s clear they don’t take this issue seriously.”
Fox News Digital reached out to McClinton and her office for comment but did not receive a response.
