During Thursday’s remarks on the House floor, Rep. George Latimer (D-NY) spoke about President Trump’s dismissal of the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
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00:00President Trump fired the Librarian of Congress, just one year shy of completing her 10-year
00:14term. He also fired the head of the U.S. Copyright Office, replacing them with his
00:19former lawyers and current DOJ appointees. While the President may get to appoint the
00:24Librarian, these offices are under the jurisdiction of Congress and we should be consulted. I've
00:30raised concerns about troubling patterns that we've seen emerging in our country, patterns
00:35that echo tactics of regimes in Hungary, North Korea, and Venezuela. These are not governments
00:41we admire, yet this latest move fits that mold. The Library of Congress is the world's largest
00:48library and a symbol of our commitment to free thought. We have seen growing attacks on libraries
00:54and books nationwide. Now it seems even the Library of Congress is not off limits. While
01:00personnel were fired, this is about power. Who controls what Americans read, learn and dream?
01:07When you limit access to knowledge, you limit freedom. And you send a clear message, questioning
01:12authority is no longer welcome. The slide away from democracy continues. Mr. Speaker, I yield
01:18back.
01:19The gentleman yields.