Democratic Rep. Jamal Bowman is facing controversy and an investigation after allegedly pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon Building, which houses Congressional offices, during the debate on a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown. The incident caused an evacuation and added to the chaos on Capitol Hill as lawmakers rushed to pass the funding bill before the deadline.
Bowman insists that he did not pull the fire alarm intentionally to disrupt the vote but rather thought it would open a door. He explained that he was rushing to make a vote and was trying to get to a door.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy called for an Ethics Committee investigation into Bowman’s actions and dared his conservative critics to try to oust him from his position as speaker.
The House managed to pass a short-term solution to keep the government funded for 45 days without additional funding for Ukraine in a 335-91 vote. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain.
The potential government shutdown could have far-reaching consequences, including impacting the paychecks of millions of Americans and causing disruptions in various government services.
The incident adds to the political turmoil in Washington as lawmakers grapple with critical issues, including government funding and the conflict in Ukraine.
