House Passes Resolution Denouncing Socialism

The House of Representatives passed a resolution on Sept. 1 denouncing socialism and calling for an election integrity bill to be enacted.

The tally was 220–192 with two members voting “present.” Eight Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the resolution. This comes as Republicans look to put Democrats on the record about socialism ahead of the midterms.

Republicans praised the resolution.

“I think the Democratic Party, and frankly, all Republicans, all Americans, should condemn socialism, which, in the course of human history, has brought poverty, misery, and death anywhere it’s been implemented,” Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) told NTD, a sister media outlet of The Epoch Times.

“I think it just goes to show that this is a moment for moral clarity, and for those Democrats who are quibbling about language about whether or not the resolution condemning socialism is the right resolution just goes to show politically how they are in shaky ground.”

The resolution, introduced by Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.), stated that socialism “necessitates a concentration of power that has, time and time again, collapsed into communist regimes, totalitarian rule, and repressive dictatorships.” It also said that the ideology “has repeatedly led to famine and mass murders, and the killing of over 100,000,000 people worldwide.”

The resolution’s passage comes as democratic socialists have won Democratic primaries nationwide. These candidates include Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez in New York, and Melat Kiros in Colorado, each of whom has won a congressional Democratic Party primary.

The resolution noted that “candidates for public office affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have run in over one hundred elections in at least half the states.”

The resolution criticized the DSA for calling for noncitizens and incarcerated criminals to vote in American elections, pushing to abolish the Senate, seeking to implement ranked choice voting in all elections, and replacing the two-party system.

The measure said that “the DSA’s ideology and socialism, in any form, are incompatible with American values and the United States Constitution.”

The DSA has criticized the resolution.

“The establishment: Ds, Rs + media, have pivoted from DSA wins to personal attacks, racist dog whistles, symbolic House resolutions, and an obsession with a Twitch streamer. What would happen if they devoted that same attention to the thousands of Americans who die each year because they can’t afford healthcare?” the DSA posted on X on Aug. 31.

The Twitch streamer the DSA was referencing is Hasan Piker, who has come under fire for controversial comments, which have included support for Mao Zedong, regret over the fall of the Soviet Union, and overt hatred for America. He has campaigned with some Democrats while other Democrats have condemned him.

Patrick O’Neill, a steering member of the DSA’s national communications commission, responded to critics of the organization.

“This dialogue around DSA has been, unsurprisingly, dishonest, heavy-handed, and out of touch with how many in the American public feel about our organization and the reality in their communities,” he wrote in a blog post on the DSA’s website.

The resolution also addresses the issue of noncitizens voting in elections in the United States.

The resolution called for the enactment of the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Democrats took issue with the SAVE America Act aspect of the resolution. Some proposed an amendment stripping it out, but that was rejected by Republicans.

Other Democrats broadly rejected the resolution entirely.

“I like Medicare, Medicare for all,” Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) told The Epoch Times in response to a question about the resolution.

“I think it’s nonsensical,” Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) told The Epoch Times, without elaborating.

It’s estimated that 65 million Chinese people perished under leader Mao Zedong’s efforts to establish a new “socialist” China under the Chinese Communist Party and that 25 million to 30 million people died in the former Soviet Union under communism.

Nathan Worcester contributed to this report.