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New Muslim congresswoman will seek to allow religious headwear in the House

Posted at 11:49 AM, Nov 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-19 11:54:40-05

Last week, Democrats announced a proposal to end a rule that bans headwear on the House floor. Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar, one of the first two Muslim congresswomen, vocally supported the move on social media this weekend.

“No one puts a scarf on my head but me. It’s my choice — one protected by the first amendment,” the Minnesotan wrote on Twitter and Instagram.

Omar wears a religious headscarf, and under the current 181-year-old rule, a House member must be “uncovered” in order to address the floor, and cannot even enter the House “with his head covered.”

The proposal to amend this rule to allow for religious head coverings was co-authored by Omar, along with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Jim McGovern.

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CNN has reached out to Omar’s office for comment.