By The FirstThe great bathroom debate has finally landed at the Capitol Building.
According to a report from The Daily Wire, two high-ranking Dems, Assistant Speaker of the House of Representatives Katherine Clark (D-MA), and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), fired off a letter to the House Administration Committee asking for support with installing single-occupancy restrooms in the House of Representatives and the office buildings.
“All employees, interns, and visitors should have access to safe and comfortable restrooms,” Clark and Jeffries wrote. “For members of the transgender, gender nonconforming and disability communities, that often means the availability of single stall or single-occupancy restrooms. As lawmakers, we can more effectively represent our constituents when our staff and interns reflect the diversity of the American people. However, absent improvements, we in Congress are limiting our ability to hire and retain individuals who belong to these communities. Additionally, following the resuming of the Capitol and House buildings to public tours and meetings – ensuring the American people coming to visit their elected leaders have access to appropriate facilities is critical for living up to our obligations as The People’s House.”
“While other federal buildings have improved accessibility to single-use restrooms, more work remains to be done in the House of Representatives and the Capitol,” Clark and Jeffries continued. “Currently, there is only one single-use restroom located in the Longworth [Office Building] basement. For individuals working in the Cannon and Rayburn office buildings, they must leave their buildings and, in some cases, walk outside to find a safe and comfortable restroom to use. Implementing single-use restrooms will make a visible difference in the lives of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, as well as other marginalized communities, including people with disabilities, older adults, and parents of small children.”
