Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) castigated what she saw as the "hypocrisy" of pro-life "religious fundamentalists" for attempting to "control" women, while "not living" up to their own values.
Omar, who has courted controversy with her anti-Israel views since joining Congress, took to the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday to attack a slew of new pro-life laws enacted by conservative states across the country.
"Religious fundamentalists are trying to manipulate the state laws in order to impose their beliefs on an entire society all with complete disregard for voices and rights of American women," Omar said.
Citing Georgia's new heartbeat statute and a recent Alabama law that bans abortion except for instances of maternal health, Omar claimed such actions were a only meant to assert "control" over women.
"Efforts like those in Alabama and Georgia are only the latest in a long history of efforts to criminalize women for simply existing, to punish us when we don't conform to their attempts to control us," the congresswoman said.
Omar added that if such laws were "proposed by any other country," they would be called "a dangerous violation of human rights."
"But because it is happening here with the support of the ultraconservative, religious right we call it real religious freedom," the congresswoman said. "It's simply unthinkable, this isn't only unjust, but [also] dangerous. ... Let's just be honest, for the religious right this isn't simply about their care or concern for life."
Omar proceeded to accuse "ultra-conservatives" of what she saw as "hypocrisy" for being pro-life while not being "concerned" about children "detained" at the border or those lingering "in hunger and facing homelessness."
"This isn't about religious morality or conviction, because we have seen time and time again, those that talk about their faith and want to push policies because of their faith are the ones that simply are caught with the hypocrisy not living it out in their personal lives," said Omar before citing two Republican congressman who resigned after being embroiled in sex scandals.
"I'm frustrated every single time I hear people speaking about their faith and pushing that on to other people, because we know those 'so-called' religious politicians, when it comes to their life and their choices, they want to talk about freedom," Omar said. "But when it comes to other people lives and other people's choices, they want to talk about religion."