Seven Republicans vote against naming post office after ex-Rep. Louise Slaughter

Seven Republicans voted Tuesday against legislation to name a post office after Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.).

The legislation to name the Louise and Bob Slaughter Post Office was approved in a 414-7 vote. Bob Slaughter, the lawmaker’s husband, died in 2014.

The Republicans voting “no” were Reps. Bill Flores (Texas), Glenn Grothman (Wis.), Andy Harris (Md.), Thomas Massie (Ky.), Tom Rice (SC), David Rouzer and Chip Roy (Texas).

Slaughter had served as the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee before dying in March 2018 at the age of 88. She had served 31 years in the House. 

{mosads}Massie cited his belief there are others who have who deserve recognition more than elected officials as his reasoning for voting no.

“There are so many unrecognized veterans who have sacrificed for this country that I think it is wrong to name a federal facility after a politician,” Massie told The Hill in a statement.

Roy echoed Massie’s sentiments on the matter.

“While I didn’t know Rep. Slaughter or her husband, I am sure they were fine, patriotic people dedicated to public service,” Roy, a freshman member, said in a statement. “I don’t think politicians should be spending valuable time naming post offices after other politicians.”

Harris also said it was wrong to name post offices after members of Congress — unless the member was a war hero.

“We shouldn’t name post offices after congressional families unless the Member of Congress was a war hero,” he said in a statement. 

Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), one of the 11 members who did not vote on the measure, was the only member of the New York delegation to decline to cosponsor the bill. Slaughter had called for the Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate insider trading allegations against Collins that ultimately led to his indictment, Roll Call first reported.