Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) released the following statement after the House Appropriations Committee voted down her cognitive acuity amendment to the FY26 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act last week.
Gluesenkamp Perez’s amendment strengthens the House Ethics guidelines related to the cognitive acuity of members of Congress to restore Americans’ faith that their elected representatives are fully in control of their voting decisions:
“Citizens elect a Representative to serve as their voice in Congress, but I hear concerns from my neighbors that unelected staff are steering the ship in our federal government.
All Americans deserve to know that this body is holding itself to a high ethical standard – not empowering elected officials who are no longer capable of making decisions to hide behind their staff members.
Nevertheless, the House Appropriations Committee voiced a resounding ‘no’ to my amendment to set basic common sense guidelines to ensure Members of Congress maintain the cognitive acuity to fulfill their oath of office.
We have clear standards about what kind of hat Representatives can accept as a gift, yet there’s a disturbing lack of clarity about how to impartially address concerns about significant, irreversible cognitive decline.
While this issue is called into question in a small number of offices, restoring public faith in Congress and building a body that is governed by elected Representatives of all ages and backgrounds is a task my colleagues should view as urgent.”
Video of Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s remarks on her amendment can be found here.
Specifically, Gluesenkamp Perez’s amendment would direct the Office of Congressional Conduct to develop a standard relating to a Member of Congress’s abilities to perform the duties of their office unimpeded by significant irreversible cognitive impairment.
Full text of the amendment can be found here.