Congress became “Heated” over Beyoncé, with a California Democrat giving homage to the “undisputed queen of pop and R&B” on the House floor Wednesday.
“I stand today to recognize the conclusion of Black History Month and the beginning of Women’s History Month by recognizing a person who exemplifies both so well,” Rep. Robert Garcia said.
“She’s an icon, she’s a legend, and she’s now and forever the moment,” Garcia said as he stood next to a black-and-white portrait of the 41-year-old singer.
Garcia showered admiration on Beyoncé, who made history last month after collecting her 32nd Grammy Award – the most victories of all time by an artist.
The diva, Beyoncé Knowles, is “so much more than a performer and a singer,” Garcia remarked.
“She’s a maker and an artist. When the radio instructed them to speed it up, she went slower. And I’ll never forget the day I watched Destiny’s Child perform for the very first time,” the 45-year-old politician remarked.
“It was life-changing for me and the way I perceived music,” Garcia added. “I became an immediate fan then and have been a tremendous fan ever since.”
Calling the “Renaissance” vocalist a role model who “stood up for voting rights, for feminism, for women and girls, for my community — the LGBTQ+ community,” Garcia added, “For my generation and so many others, she simply is the best of all time.“
Her narrative is history,” Garcia stated, before stealing a phrase from one of Beyoncé’s song titles to convey a message to her
“You are irreplaceable,” he remarked.
It’s fairly commonplace for lawmakers to give tributes — occasionally naming popular personalities, constituencies or policy problems — in one-minute statements on the House floor. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) came to the floor in 2010 to pay respect to “The Simpsons” to honour the show’s 20th anniversary. In 2017, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) honoured The Notorious B.I.G. on the 20th anniversary of the rapper’s death.
