A fire alarm in the US House of Representatives was set off by a congressman as his party attempted to postpone a vital budget vote on Saturday. New York Democrat Jamaal Bowman claims it was an accident.

However, his opponents have charged that he tried to sabotage the vote intended to avert a shutdown of the US federal government.

The hour-long evacuation was sparked by the alarm. In the end, an agreement was reached to prevent the shutdown.

Democrats were trying to postpone the vote so they could read the legislation and decide whether or not to support it when the alarm went off.

Jamaal Bowman said

“Today, as I hurried to cast a vote, I approached a door that always opens for voting but today would not open. I regret turning on the fire alarm because I believed it would unlock the door, Mr. Bowman said in a statement.

 

 

Republicans, though, have charged him with trying to rig the vote on purpose.

He continued by stating that he was “in no way, trying to delay any vote.”

“I was trying desperately to get to a vote, which I eventually did, and I joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to keep our government open,” the speaker said. Jamaal Bowman

Republicans

Republicans, though, have charged him with trying to rig the vote on purpose.

A probe was underway, according to Brian Steil, a Republican from Wisconsin and the head of the House administration committee.

The “new low” was described by Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

“I was really appalled watching Democrats’ actions today, to delay it, to get a shutdown,” the man stated.

“We seen how individuals have been handled in this Capitol when they have broken the law. What he was attempting to prevent from the American public would be interesting to watch how he is treated. Jamaal Bowman

The bill

The bill extends government funding through November 17th. Just before the deadline at midnight, President Joe Biden gave his signature to make it law.

McCarthy proposed the idea while he was putting up a fight against a hard-liner uprising inside his own party.

Millions of federal workers and military members would have missed out on their paychecks if Congress hadn’t voted to keep the government open.

Once Bowman was recognised in surveillance footage, leadership in both parties was alerted to the situation, according to a source familiar with the matter.

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Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries

Shortly after the funding temporary measure cleared the House on Saturday, Bowman claimed he spoke with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries about the event. He added that Jeffries’ tone was “supportive” and “he understood that was a mistake.”

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy suggested that the event be investigated by the House Ethics Committee.

Following the House vote, McCarthy was asked about the situation by a reporter. “I think ethics should look at this, but this is serious,” McCarthy said.

He continued by saying that he will speak with Jeffries about the event.

McCarthy

McCarthy remarked, “This should not go unpunished.” The situation is embarrassing. You are chosen to serve in Congress. You tried to force the government to shut down by pulling a fire alarm just a few hours (or minutes) before it did.

Rep. Lisa McClain, a Michigan Republican and part of the GOP leadership team, told that she was circulating a resolution to condemn Bowman for the event in response to McCarthy’s statements. She claimed to have co-sponsors already.

But on Saturday, Bowman mocked the GOP’s response to the incident, telling reporters, “They’re going to do what they do. They always act in this way.

 

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