Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (00:00)
Speaker, I seek recognition for a question of personal privilege.
Ocasio-Cortez successfully fundraised off her renegade stance against the establishment and even launched a new leadership PAC to build up her arsenal to take on the DCCC. The Full Transcript of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 60-Second Speech at the DNC Daniel Villarreal 8/19/2020. Gainesville, Georgia, food plant deaths: 6 people killed after liquid nitrogen leak. Ocasio-Cortez alluded to the notorious 'WallStreetBets' Reddit forum, which briefly went private late Wednesday after the group's Discord channel was banned over 'hate speech.' The. Transcript: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's DNC remarks. Updated 0223 GMT (1023 HKT) August 19, 2020. And thank you to everyone here today endeavoring towards a better, more just.
Speaker 2: (00:04)
The chair has been made aware of the valid base for the gentlewoman's point of personal privilege. The gentlewoman from New York is recognized for one hour.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (00:14)
Thank you Madam Speaker, and I would also like to thank many of my colleagues for the opportunity to not only speak today but for the many members from both sides of the aisle who have reached out to me in support following an incident earlier this week. About two days ago, I was walking up the steps of the Capitol when Representative Yoho suddenly turned a corner and he was accompanied by Representative Roger Williams, and accosted me on the steps right here in front of our nation's Capitol. I was minding my own business, walking up the steps and Representative Yoho put his finger in my face, he called me disgusting, he called me crazy, he called me out of my mind, and he called me dangerous. Then he took a few more steps and after I had recognized his comments as rude, he walked away and said I'm rude, you're calling me rude. I took a few steps ahead and I walked inside and cast my vote. Because my constituents send me here each and every day to fight for them and to make sure that they are able to keep a roof over their head, that they're able to feed their families and that they're able to carry their lives with dignity.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (01:43)
I walked back out and there were reporters in the front of the Capitol and in front of reporters Representative Yoho called me, and I quote, 'a f***ing b****.' These were the words that Representative Yoho levied against a congresswoman. The congresswoman that not only represents New York's 14th Congressional District, but every congresswoman and every woman in this country. Because all of us have had to deal with this in some form, some way, some shape, at some point in our lives. I want to be clear that Representative Yoho's comments were not deeply hurtful or piercing to me, because I have worked a working class job. I have waited tables in restaurants. I have ridden the subway. I have walked the streets in New York City, and this kind of language is not new. I have encountered words uttered by Mr. Yoho and men uttering the same words as Mr. Yoho while I was being harassed in restaurants. I have tossed men out of bars that have used language like Mr. Yoho's and I have encountered this type of harassment riding the subway in New York City.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (03:11)
This is not new, and that is the problem. Mr. Yoho was not alone. He was walking shoulder to shoulder with Representative Roger Williams, and that's when we start to see that this issue is not about one incident. It is cultural. It is a culture of lack of impunity, of accepting of violence and violent language against women, and an entire structure of power that supports that. Because not only have I been spoken to disrespectfully, particularly by members of the Republican Party and elected officials in the Republican Party, not just here, but the President of the United States last year told me to go home to another country, with the implication that I don't even belong in America. The governor of Florida, Governor DeSantis, before I even was sworn in, called me a whatever that is. Dehumanizing language is not new, and what we are seeing is that incidents like these are happening in a pattern. This is a pattern of an attitude towards women and dehumanization of others.
Ocasio Cortez Full Speech
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (04:35)
So while I was not deeply hurt or offended by little comments that are made, when I was reflecting on this, I honestly thought that I was just going to pack it up and go home. It's just another day, right? But then yesterday, Representative Yoho decided to come to the floor of the House of Representatives and make excuses for his behavior, and that I could not let go. I could not allow my nieces, I could not allow the little girls that I go home to, I could not allow victims of verbal abuse and worse to see that, to see that excuse and to see our Congress accept it as legitimate and accept it as an apology and to accept silence as a form of acceptance. I could not allow that to stand which is why I am rising today to raise this point of personal privilege.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (05:49)
I do not need Representative Yoho to apologize to me. Clearly he does not want to. Clearly when given the opportunity he will not and I will not stay up late at night waiting for an apology from a man who has no remorse over calling women and using abusive language towards women, but what I do have issue with is using women, our wives and daughters, as shields and excuses for poor behavior. Mr. Yoho mentioned that he has a wife and two daughters. I am two years younger than Mr. Yoho's youngest daughter. I am someone's daughter too. My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter. My mother got to see Mr. Yoho's disrespect on the floor of this House towards me on television and I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (07:12)
Now what I am here to say is that this harm that Mr. Yoho levied, it tried to levy against me, was not just an incident directed at me, but when you do that to any woman, what Mr. Yoho did was give permission to other men to do that to his daughters. In using that language in front of the press, he gave permission to use that language against his wife, his daughters, women in his community, and I am here to stand up to say that is not acceptable. I do not care what your views are. It does not matter how much I disagree or how much it incenses me or how much I feel that people are dehumanizing others. I will not do that myself. I will not allow people to change and create hatred in our hearts.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (08:18)
And so what I believe is that having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man, and when a decent man messes up as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologize. Not to save face, not to win a vote, he apologizes genuinely to repair and acknowledge the harm done so that we can all move on.
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Speech Today
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (09:06)
Lastly, what I want to express to Mr. Yoho is gratitude. I want to thank him for showing the world that you can be a powerful man and accost women. You can have daughters and accost women without remorse. You can be married and accost women. You can take photos and project an image to the world of being a family man and accost women without remorse and with a sense of impunity. It happens every day in this country. It happened here on the steps of our nation's Capitol. It happens when individuals who hold the highest office in this land admit, admit to hurting women and using this language against all of us. Once again, I thank my colleagues for joining us today. I will reserve the hour of my time and I will yield to my colleague, Representative Jayapal of Washington. Thank you.
Democratic New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a 60-second speech on Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention.
Aoc Floor Speech
In her speech, she said:
'Good evening, bienvenidos, and thank you to everyone here today endeavoring towards a better, more just future for our country and our world, in fidelity and gratitude to a mass people's movement working to establish 21st century social, economic and human rights, including guaranteed healthcare, higher education, living wages and labor rights for all people in the United States; a movement striving to recognize and repair the wounds of racial injustice, colonization, misogyny and homophobia, and to propose and build reimagined systems of immigration and foreign policy that turn away from the violence and xenophobia of our past; a movement that realizes the unsustainable brutality of an economy that rewards explosive inequalities of wealth for the few at the expense of long-term stability for the many and who organized a historic grassroots campaign to reclaim our democracy; in a time when millions of people in the United States are looking deep systemic solutions to our crises of mass evictions, unemployment and lack of health care, in espirito del pueblo and out of a love for all people, I hereby second the nomination of Senator Bernard Sanders for president of the United States of America.'
In 2017, Ocasio-Cortez, age 30, became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. She was a supporter of former Democratic presidential nominee Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and publicly criticized Democratic presidential nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden.
In April, Ocasio-Cortez voiced her support for Biden, but urged his campaign to take serious steps to address concerns raised by the party's left-wing.
'Beating [Republican President] Donald Trump is a matter of life or death for our communities,' she told The New York Times. 'I think it's a difference between making an argument for harm reduction, and making the argument for, there's actually going to be progress made for us.'
Ocasio-Cortez successfully fundraised off her renegade stance against the establishment and even launched a new leadership PAC to build up her arsenal to take on the DCCC. The Full Transcript of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 60-Second Speech at the DNC Daniel Villarreal 8/19/2020. Gainesville, Georgia, food plant deaths: 6 people killed after liquid nitrogen leak. Ocasio-Cortez alluded to the notorious 'WallStreetBets' Reddit forum, which briefly went private late Wednesday after the group's Discord channel was banned over 'hate speech.' The. Transcript: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's DNC remarks. Updated 0223 GMT (1023 HKT) August 19, 2020. And thank you to everyone here today endeavoring towards a better, more just.
Speaker 2: (00:04)
The chair has been made aware of the valid base for the gentlewoman's point of personal privilege. The gentlewoman from New York is recognized for one hour.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (00:14)
Thank you Madam Speaker, and I would also like to thank many of my colleagues for the opportunity to not only speak today but for the many members from both sides of the aisle who have reached out to me in support following an incident earlier this week. About two days ago, I was walking up the steps of the Capitol when Representative Yoho suddenly turned a corner and he was accompanied by Representative Roger Williams, and accosted me on the steps right here in front of our nation's Capitol. I was minding my own business, walking up the steps and Representative Yoho put his finger in my face, he called me disgusting, he called me crazy, he called me out of my mind, and he called me dangerous. Then he took a few more steps and after I had recognized his comments as rude, he walked away and said I'm rude, you're calling me rude. I took a few steps ahead and I walked inside and cast my vote. Because my constituents send me here each and every day to fight for them and to make sure that they are able to keep a roof over their head, that they're able to feed their families and that they're able to carry their lives with dignity.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (01:43)
I walked back out and there were reporters in the front of the Capitol and in front of reporters Representative Yoho called me, and I quote, 'a f***ing b****.' These were the words that Representative Yoho levied against a congresswoman. The congresswoman that not only represents New York's 14th Congressional District, but every congresswoman and every woman in this country. Because all of us have had to deal with this in some form, some way, some shape, at some point in our lives. I want to be clear that Representative Yoho's comments were not deeply hurtful or piercing to me, because I have worked a working class job. I have waited tables in restaurants. I have ridden the subway. I have walked the streets in New York City, and this kind of language is not new. I have encountered words uttered by Mr. Yoho and men uttering the same words as Mr. Yoho while I was being harassed in restaurants. I have tossed men out of bars that have used language like Mr. Yoho's and I have encountered this type of harassment riding the subway in New York City.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (03:11)
This is not new, and that is the problem. Mr. Yoho was not alone. He was walking shoulder to shoulder with Representative Roger Williams, and that's when we start to see that this issue is not about one incident. It is cultural. It is a culture of lack of impunity, of accepting of violence and violent language against women, and an entire structure of power that supports that. Because not only have I been spoken to disrespectfully, particularly by members of the Republican Party and elected officials in the Republican Party, not just here, but the President of the United States last year told me to go home to another country, with the implication that I don't even belong in America. The governor of Florida, Governor DeSantis, before I even was sworn in, called me a whatever that is. Dehumanizing language is not new, and what we are seeing is that incidents like these are happening in a pattern. This is a pattern of an attitude towards women and dehumanization of others.
Ocasio Cortez Full Speech
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (04:35)
So while I was not deeply hurt or offended by little comments that are made, when I was reflecting on this, I honestly thought that I was just going to pack it up and go home. It's just another day, right? But then yesterday, Representative Yoho decided to come to the floor of the House of Representatives and make excuses for his behavior, and that I could not let go. I could not allow my nieces, I could not allow the little girls that I go home to, I could not allow victims of verbal abuse and worse to see that, to see that excuse and to see our Congress accept it as legitimate and accept it as an apology and to accept silence as a form of acceptance. I could not allow that to stand which is why I am rising today to raise this point of personal privilege.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (05:49)
I do not need Representative Yoho to apologize to me. Clearly he does not want to. Clearly when given the opportunity he will not and I will not stay up late at night waiting for an apology from a man who has no remorse over calling women and using abusive language towards women, but what I do have issue with is using women, our wives and daughters, as shields and excuses for poor behavior. Mr. Yoho mentioned that he has a wife and two daughters. I am two years younger than Mr. Yoho's youngest daughter. I am someone's daughter too. My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter. My mother got to see Mr. Yoho's disrespect on the floor of this House towards me on television and I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (07:12)
Now what I am here to say is that this harm that Mr. Yoho levied, it tried to levy against me, was not just an incident directed at me, but when you do that to any woman, what Mr. Yoho did was give permission to other men to do that to his daughters. In using that language in front of the press, he gave permission to use that language against his wife, his daughters, women in his community, and I am here to stand up to say that is not acceptable. I do not care what your views are. It does not matter how much I disagree or how much it incenses me or how much I feel that people are dehumanizing others. I will not do that myself. I will not allow people to change and create hatred in our hearts.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (08:18)
And so what I believe is that having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man, and when a decent man messes up as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologize. Not to save face, not to win a vote, he apologizes genuinely to repair and acknowledge the harm done so that we can all move on.
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Speech Today
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: (09:06)
Lastly, what I want to express to Mr. Yoho is gratitude. I want to thank him for showing the world that you can be a powerful man and accost women. You can have daughters and accost women without remorse. You can be married and accost women. You can take photos and project an image to the world of being a family man and accost women without remorse and with a sense of impunity. It happens every day in this country. It happened here on the steps of our nation's Capitol. It happens when individuals who hold the highest office in this land admit, admit to hurting women and using this language against all of us. Once again, I thank my colleagues for joining us today. I will reserve the hour of my time and I will yield to my colleague, Representative Jayapal of Washington. Thank you.
Democratic New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a 60-second speech on Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention.
Aoc Floor Speech
In her speech, she said:
'Good evening, bienvenidos, and thank you to everyone here today endeavoring towards a better, more just future for our country and our world, in fidelity and gratitude to a mass people's movement working to establish 21st century social, economic and human rights, including guaranteed healthcare, higher education, living wages and labor rights for all people in the United States; a movement striving to recognize and repair the wounds of racial injustice, colonization, misogyny and homophobia, and to propose and build reimagined systems of immigration and foreign policy that turn away from the violence and xenophobia of our past; a movement that realizes the unsustainable brutality of an economy that rewards explosive inequalities of wealth for the few at the expense of long-term stability for the many and who organized a historic grassroots campaign to reclaim our democracy; in a time when millions of people in the United States are looking deep systemic solutions to our crises of mass evictions, unemployment and lack of health care, in espirito del pueblo and out of a love for all people, I hereby second the nomination of Senator Bernard Sanders for president of the United States of America.'
In 2017, Ocasio-Cortez, age 30, became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. She was a supporter of former Democratic presidential nominee Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and publicly criticized Democratic presidential nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden.
In April, Ocasio-Cortez voiced her support for Biden, but urged his campaign to take serious steps to address concerns raised by the party's left-wing.
'Beating [Republican President] Donald Trump is a matter of life or death for our communities,' she told The New York Times. 'I think it's a difference between making an argument for harm reduction, and making the argument for, there's actually going to be progress made for us.'
'The whole process of coming together should be uncomfortable for everyone involved—that's how you know it's working,' she continued. 'And if Biden is only doing things he's comfortable with, then it's not enough.'
By late April, both Biden and Ocasio-Cortez's staffs had reached out to one another, with her endorsement working to potential attract younger voters as she represents the goals of the Democratic party's progressive movement.
She later joined Biden's Climate Policy Task Force, a luminary member known for her February 2019 co-sponsorship of the Green New Deal (GND), a proposed package of laws focused on virtually eliminating U.S. greenhouse gas pollution within a decade and new job creation.
Biden's campaign website now states that he believes the GND is 'a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face.'
