MEDIA ADVISORY AND PRESS RELEASE

Congressman Al Green Addresses Concerns of Reps. Manning and Raskin Regarding Cosponsorship of the Original Resolution Affirming the State of Palestine’s Right to Exist

(Washington, D.C.) — On Thursday, March 7, 2024, Congressman Al Green issued the following addressing Representatives Manning’s and Raskin’s concerns regarding cosponsorships supporting H.Res.902, the Original Resolution Affirming the State of Palestine’s Right to Exist.

On November 28, 2023, Congressman Green voted in favor of H.Res.888, Reaffirming the State of Israel’s right to exist. H.Res.888 was introduced on November 21, 2023, and had 9 original cosponsors. Congressman Green believed that a similar resolution affirming the State of Palestine’s right to exist was lacking in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Therefore, Congressman Green introduced H.Res.902, the Original Resolution Affirming the State of Palestine’s Right to Exist, on December 1, 2023. After introduction, the legislation was circulated among Member offices in the House of Representatives for potential cosponsors as is customarily done in congressional offices. The cosponsor information was collected from each office via an online form, and the cosponsors were added to the resolution by informing the Office of the Clerk.

Accordingly, Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Maxwell Frost, André Carson, Lloyd Doggett, Kathy Manning, and Jamie Raskin were listed as cosponsors of the resolution via the online form. Representative Veronica Escobar joined as a cosponsor by way of verbal indication to Congressman Green.

Congressman Green’s office was subsequently notified by Congresswoman Kathy Manning’s office that she wanted to be removed as a cosponsor of the resolution. Per House procedures, there is no requirement that only the sponsor of legislation may remove a cosponsor from that legislation, as a cosponsor may remove themself as a cosponsor at any time per brief remarks on the House floor stating such. As a cosponsor, Congresswoman Manning could have removed her name as a cosponsor at any time she desired, which is what Congressman Raskin did. However, Congressman Green did what Congresswoman Manning could have done and asked that her name be removed. 

The entire above process was conducted in the normal, customary course of legislative business. The online form used is a common and heretofore reliable method of requesting and collecting cosponsorships for any piece of legislation, and Congressman Green’s office duly added cosponsors using the information provided in this widely used process. 

However, having been made aware of concerns raised by Representatives Manning and Raskin in this process, Congressman Green fully supports a full, thorough, and complete investigation that Member offices, House leadership, the House Clerk, or other investigative bodies may conduct. A copy of this press release will be provided to them accordingly.