A Texas congresswoman called her state and Florida "deplorable" during a Tuesday hearing on trans athletes in women's sports over co-called conservative legislation by lawmakers there.
Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat, issued her remarks during a House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing to discuss proposed changes to Title IX by the Biden administration that would redefine the definition of sexual discrimination to include gender identity.
During her open statement, Crockett called out the Heritage Foundation, which was represented by Sarah Parshall Perry, a policy expert for the conservative think tank, and her own state.
"When lawmakers like this are so far out of touch with what women need, we see states pushing back," Crockett said of her Republican colleague, U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, who spokes before her. "At least states that will allow you to push back. I'm from the state of Texas and of course, they don't want you to ever have an opportunity to raise your voice in the state of Texas."
"In fact, Ms. Perry, I know your organization, the Heritage Foundation, loves Texas. Oh, they love Texas," she added. "They always sending us some nonsense bills that somehow set this country on the wrong trajectory. They send them to Texas. They send them to Florida. Every deplorable state that we can think about, they usually coming out of ya'lls think tank."
Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene immediately called for "deplorable" to be pulled from the official record before the request was denied.
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"So the MAGAS think MTG is so amazing… right?" Crockett posted on X. "To be clear, the senior member from Georgia was wrong! It’s a bad day when the Republican chair has to rule in my favor. LEARN the rules before trying to check me."
Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, responded to Crockett on X.
"Thank you, @JasmineForUS, for the, well, endorsement of @Heritage," he wrote. "Yes, ma’am, we love Texas."
After Crockett's remarks, in which she mentioned rape, abortion and access to bathrooms, U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Michigan, chair of the subcommittee, tried to steer the hearing back on track.
"Before this gets even more out of control, I'm going to try and reel it back in," McClain said. "The importance of protecting female athletes and Title IX. I'm happy to have other hearings but I'd like to stay focused on this hearing."
Among those who testified Tuesday was Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who has spoken out against transgender males participating in women's sports.
