Democrat-led House approves Islamophobia bill, would put special envoy in State Department

The Democrat-controlled House on Tuesday evening passed legislation to create a special office within the State Department to combat Islamophobia worldwide, following comments directed at a Muslim congresswoman by a fellow chamber member.

The measure passed 219-212 along party lines, and follows a so far unsuccessful attempt by House Democrats to take away Colorado GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert's committee assignment for comments directed at Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, whom Boebert suggested was a member of the chamber's "Jihad Squad."

Boebert's comments surfaced over Thanksgiving weekend in a video.

House Democrat leaders have already this year stripped committee assignments from two other chamber Republicans -- Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, has said that further action could be taken against Boebert, according to The New York Times.

Omar said before the vote on the legislation that she remains "optimistic" about specific action against Boebert. However, she focused her related House floor speech on what she argued is a global trend of anti-Muslim sentiment around the world including the Chinese government's alleged abuses against the Uyghurs, according to The Hill newspaper.

Pelosi, in her floor speech, reportedly did not name Boebert but talked about "targeted Islamophobic comments and actions against another member."

During debate on the legislation, Democrats objected to remarks from Rep. Scott Perry.  

The debate was reportedly delayed for about an hour, until a decision was reached about a parliamentary rule, under which  the Pennsylvania Republican’s remarks were found to be in violation of chamber rules on personal attacks during a floor debate.