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Lauren Underwood Provides Kristi Noem with a Much Needed Lesson on the Constitution. [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-05-06
Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security and self-admitted puppy killer, appeared today before the House Appropriations Committee. Between softball questions from the Republican coterie of sycophants, fascists and grifters, Lauren Underwood, House member from Illinois, took the opportunity to provide a much needed lesson to Kristi Noem on what is actually written in the Constitution.
She started by outlining the ways the Trump administration, in particular the Secretary of Homeland Security, is making America less safe.
She told Noem, "our Homeland is not secure".
x The American people should know the facts about what the Trump administration is doing with our money. I laid them out in our @democrats-appropriations.house.gov hearing today. — Rep. Lauren Underwood (@underwood.house.gov) 2025-05-06T22:28:13.417Z
Representative Underwood reminded Ms. Noem that at her senate confirmation hearing, she testified under oath that she was committed to complying with the constitution.
She then ran through specific Articles of the Constitution, as Noem and the Administration seems surprisingly unfamiliar with them.
In order to make it easier for the Secretary, Representative Underwood started with Article I, which gives Congress the sole authority on spending. She asked Kristi Noem if she agreed that Congress is the sole spending authority, a question Noem struggled to provide the obvious answer to.
x Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Illinois): "You said that you were committed to complying with the Constitution, do you still stand by that statement?" Kristi Noem: "Absolutely." — Craig R. Brittain (@craigbrittain.com) 2025-05-06T14:50:19.571Z
Lauren Underwood reminded Noem that Congress provided money specifically to deal with cybersecurity, money Noem cut from the budget in spite of Congress' clear instructions.
x Rep. Lauren Underwood: "If you are so outraged by the threat of China in our federal networks, why are you cutting half a billion dollars?" — Craig R. Brittain (@craigbrittain.com) 2025-05-06T15:36:34.960Z
She moved on, and asked Noem if she believes, as the Constitution requires, that everyone has a right to due process. Again, what should have been an easy yes or no answer proved difficult for Noem. When Noem attempted to blather out a mouthful of Administration arglebargle, Representative Underwood cut her off and said, "I'll take that as a no".
When asked if the government has the right to deport American citizens, Noem said "absolutely not" before being reminded that in fact a number of American citizens, including children undergoing cancer treatment, have been deported.
x Cosplay soldier Barbie lied throughout and Lauren Underwood ain't gonna have that. — KAMALA NATION (@kamalanation.bsky.social) 2025-05-06T15:13:38.103Z
Committee hearings provide an opportunity for Democrats to directly challenge the lies and misinformation put forth by Republicans and by members of the administration. Lauren Underwood, one of the most impressive Democratic members of the House, used this opportunity to full effect.
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