(CNN) - Two state representatives in Michigan were barred from speaking on the floor of the legislature in Lansing Thursday after colleagues deemed their language "failed to maintain the decorum" of the legislative body.
State Reps. State Reps. Lisa Brown and Barb Byrum, both Democrats, were arguing against proposed legislation that would enact new restrictions on abortions in Michigan, including provisions for new insurance requirements for abortion providers.
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Brown ended her floor speech by declaring: ""I'm flattered that you are all so interested in my vagina, but no means no."
Byrum chimed in, announcing the word "vasectomy" after Brown's speech, an apparent reference to proposed Democratic legislation that would counter the new abortion rules by placing similar restrictions on vasectomies.
A spokesman for the Republican Speaker of the House told the Detroit Free Press the two women would not be allowed to speak on the floor after their remarks.
They "will not be recognized to speak on the House floor today after being gaveled down for their comments and actions yesterday that failed to maintain the decorum of the House of Representatives," the spokesman said.
He continued, "House Republicans often go beyond simply allowing debate by welcoming open and passionate discussion of the issues before this chamber. The only way we can continue doing so, however, is to ensure that the proper level of maturity and civility are maintained on the House floor."
In a web video, the Democratic leaders of Michigan's State Senate said the restrictions amounted to a "war on women."
"This is very real, and it comes at the highest levels of state government," State Sen. Gretchen Whitmer said. "Right now we are seeing our Republican colleagues in the House working to take away our rights to choose, our rights to health care, our rights to make decisions about our bodies. And just today, they're taking away our female colleagues rights in the House, they're right to speak on the floor."
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Welcome to Egypt. We, the Generals, have decided that the only women who will be allowed to speak in our legislature are those who read the scripts we prepare for them. If anyone tries to say anything else, we will refuse them the right to speak. Sound familiar? Sound scary?
wow, pretty blatant restriction of their first amendment rights
Intruding into a woman's private part with an ultrasound probe is more decent than using the word?
Ronald Reagan must be fuming at how Rush Limbaugh has destroyed the GOP.
Funny. So you can tell women what to do with their bodies and legislate not needed sonograms and instusive probes but not tell men to have vasectomies?
What decorum? I think that legislation to have men not be able to procreate is way less intrusive than what a woman would have to go through to prevengtpregnancy since teapublikkans men and some of the repugnant women want to legislate our bodies and our bedrooms!!!
They should have used the acceptable Republican terms "wee wee" and "snip the pee pee".
Oh, how scandalous! They used the V words. Would it have been better had the used the C words? Let it be known, Republicans fear um, virginias and valedictorians.
Maybe he'll force them to wear burkas in the future. American Taliban indeed!
More power to these women.
This is plain stupid. The people who barred them should resign for being childish partisans.
The GOP has a great opportunity this November, but they're going to blow it if they insist on attacking individual freedom.
If these comments were made during a debate about a health insurance bill or items relating to health or medical care, then it makes sense. It is appropriate for a converstation about abortion. I don't understand why their comments were gaveled down except that the men are uncomfortable with those parts of body.
most republicans are just hateful and then say they doing god work, they really doing the work for the devil and
they will burn in hell.
I don't understand how this could happen. And I thought my state representatives are insane.
More 2 bit dictatorship in MI from the GOP. People need to wake up.
If the words that describe the procedures are so offensive, how will this be described in the legislation?
When will the American people rise up against this blatant attack on women's rights? The time is now! Strike a blow against the empire! Vote democratic!
Ladies, you better look out. Next they will be coming after your right to vote.
That's the GOP for you. They can't talk about it but they sure want to ban it. The Republican war on women, round 3, coming up.
Vasectomy and abortions are legal, just pay for it yourself and you just took control of your body.
Wow, I guess they have already started. The take over. I guess we would be shot for voicing our opinion.
The Republican run state of Michigan has become a communist state. The Republicans have passed rules that pretty much take away democracy from voters. The Governer can decide to appoint a czar if a municipality is having issues or difficulties balancing their budget. This czar can come in and override the locally elected officials, answering to no one but the governer. All of the czar's decisions are final and not open to public debate. If the czar decides that he wants to sell town property to a private developer in order to raise revenue, then he can do so without any public debate from the local citizens. The local citizens are no longer represented by an elected official, only a czar who answers to no one but the governer. Michigan Republicans have turned the state into a communist state.
State Reps. State Reps. Lisa Brown and Barb Byrum are right
ha ha ha !!!!!!!!!!!!
Biology, science – the things Republicans do not care to know about. All they know is women cannot make their own decisions so the big, brave Republican men must do so. How dare these women talk back – don't they know their place? Shame on the Michigan Republican Speaker for denying these two legislators their right to speak because he has a problem with proper terminology.
OBAMA/BIDEN/FIRST LADY MICHELLE 2012!!!
Republicans have done nothing but block and refuse to pass any legislation to help America and the economy. Instead they have passed 403 bills legislating the rights of women to have control of their bodies, their medical choices, their jobs, their ability to earn equal pay and now they are blocking our representatives that we voted to represent us, the right to speak because they used correct medical terms???
VOTE OUT ANY MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN YOUR STATE 2012!!