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Congress Looking to Approve Headwear in Legislative Building
Congress Looking to Approve Headwear in Legislative Building
NEWS DESK | The no hats rule was approved in Congress decades ago. But now, with Muslim representative Ilhan Omar — a Muslim who wears a hair covering — voted into the House,will the rule change? Many are welcoming it, but others not so much. Our Dan Raviv has the story.
Story:
The House of Representatives approved the ‘no hats’ rule for itself in 1837: for the sake of decorum. Gentlemen left their coats and hats in the Capitol cloakroom, before stepping-onto the floor of the House.
Congress – until 1916 -- was all-male.
Politicians have often seen with hats – from Abraham Lincoln to Lyndon Johnson and others.
Men – and women – can wear what they want, out in public, but not on the floor where the legislating is done.
That is until now. The rule’s about to be changed, because Ilhan Omar has been elected to Congress, representing the 5th district in Minnesota. An immigrant from Somalia, she’s one of two Muslim women about to join the ranks of 435 House members. And, as traditional Muslim women do, she covers her hair.
‘The first woman to wear a hijab to represent us in Congress,’ Omar announced during her midterms victory speech.
We await the final wording. The House, to be led by Democrat Nancy Pelosi, is considered certain to approve a rule-change when the new Congress formally begins on January 3rd. It may well say that ‘headgear’ – or ‘headdress’ – is permitted, when the reason for wearing it is religious.
A policy-coordinator in Washington for the Orthodox Union – Nathan Diament – says observant Jews welcome this change.
‘The Orthodox Union has long supported and promoted legislation and policies to promote the allowance of wearing religious clothing in the workplace, not particularly in Congress. It’s obviously of interest to Orthodox Jews but we should support religious exercise and religious freedom for everybody,’ Diament explains.
Across the country, there’ve been a few Jewish politicians who wear a kippa -- or yarmulke – but none has served in Congress.
Among the very few voices, opposing a change to the headwear ban: a conservative pastor with a radio show. His name is E.W. Jackson.
‘The floor of Congress is now going to look like an Islamic republic. We are a Judeo-Christian country,’ Jackson says.
But an Orthodox Jew who’s close to the president, Ivanka Trump, has publicly applauded what-she-calls ‘an important change’ to allow religious headwear in Congress.
Category | None |
Sensitivity | Normal - Content that is suitable for ages 16 and over |
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