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House Democrats Tuesday afternoon moved to advance two resolutions that, in a procedural vote, blocked a resolution that voiced support for Iranian protests against recent actions by their government.
The vote to advance the two resolutions, which dealt with protecting older workers against discrimination and student loan forgiveness, took place on Tuesday afternoon and was used to block the third resolution to support the young Iranian protesters.
Shortly before the vote, Republicans announced that a vote against advancing the resolutions would trigger a vote on the resolution voicing support for the Iranian protesters, introduced by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif).
READ: Iranian protesters demand removal of Ayatollah
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) said on the House floor: “Soon we will vote on the previous question and if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to require the House to immediately proceed to consideration of H.Res. 197, a resolution supporting the protesters in Iran.”
He then had the text of the amendment entered into the record.
McCarthy then stood to ask representatives to support his resolution, saying that it “sends a strong message that the United States stands with the Iranian people.”
The House soon voted 226–191 to advance the previous question.
McCarthy and other Republicans criticized Democrats for voting to advance the resolutions, issuing a statement saying, “Democrats just blocked a vote on a resolution supporting the Iranian protesters.”
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.) said before the vote for the other resolutions that it wasn’t a vote against the Iran resolution but rather a procedural vote and keeping the minority Republicans from gaining control of the process within the House.
Political observers on the left and right said the optics of the Democrat vote looked bad.
–Wire services
