Overview

• Press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the 58 Democrats who voted no and the 38 who voted present, arguing the measure simply condemned political violence.
• The House-approved resolution passed 310–58, with all 215 Republicans present and 95 Democrats voting yes, according to the official roll call.
• Democrats who balked said the text’s laudatory language—calling Kirk a “courageous American patriot” with “steadfast dedication to the Constitution”—went beyond a neutral condemnation.
• Republicans have used the vote to attack Democrats, though CNN notes the measure was not equivalent to the 424–0 resolution honoring slain Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman.
• A separate Senate measure that used restrained descriptions of Kirk passed by unanimous consent with no Democratic objections.