The vote to remove the Somali-born Muslim lawmaker came after Democrats booted far-right GOP lawmakers from committees over their incendiary, violent remarks in the last session.
After the vote, Rep. Omar told the body "I didn't come to Congress to be silent. I came to Congress to be their voice. And my leadership and voice will not be diminished if I am not on this committee for one term. My voice will get louder and stronger and my leadership will be celebrated around the world as it has been. So take your vote or not."
She punctuated her comments with "I am here to stay and I am here to be a voice against harms around the world and advocate for a better world."
Rep. Omar was slated to be the top Democrat on a Foreign Affairs subcommittee focused on Africa.
As for her negative comments about Israel, for which she has apologized, she told fellow lawmakers that her conscience "would be disappointed if I didn't talk about the victims of conflict. Those that are experiencing unjust wars, atrocities, ethnic cleansing, occupation or displacement like I did. They are looking to the international community and the United States asking for help."
The lawmaker also said "They [the victims] look to us because the international community and the United States profess the values of protecting human rights and upholding international law. So we owe it to them not to make this a myth, but a reality."
The House Resolution was put forward by first-term Ohio Republican Congressman Max Miller, who is Jewish. Politico.com says Miller commented that he has not personally engaged and spoke to Rep. Omar.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefffries (D-NY) is quoted by Politico as saying “There has been accountability — Ilhan Omar has apologized. She has indicated that she’ll learn from her mistakes — is working to build bridges, because we believe in building bridges, not walls.”
In the previous session of Congress that ended in December following the 2022 elections, Democrats booted Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who posted artwork showing her brandishing a gun against the "squad," a group of progressive Democrats of which Rep. Omar was a member.
Democrats also stripped committee assignments from Arizona Republican Congressman Paul Gosar, who posted a social media graphic of himself attacking Cong. Omar as well as President Joe Biden.
This report was sourced from Agence France-Press and Politico.com