Staff Reports
House Democrats Express Frustration with Speaker Mike Johnson’s Decision Not to Invite Kenyan President William Ruto to Speak at Congress
House Democrats are unhappy with Speaker Mike Johnson’s choice to not invite Kenyan President William Ruto to address a joint session of Congress, with some seeing it as a missed opportunity. Ruto’s visit marks the first time an African leader has received a state visit since 2008. However, unlike other foreign leaders, Ruto will not be giving a speech on the House floor.
House Democrats are frustrated with @SpeakerJohnson decision not to invite Kenyan President William Ruto to address a joint session of Congress, with some calling it a “slap in the face” to what the historic state visit symbolizes. https://t.co/bfiB4xvugB
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 23, 2024
House Foreign Affairs ranking member Gregory Meeks expressed disappointment with Johnson’s decision, stating that the US needs to be more involved in Africa. Meeks mentioned the lack of an African head of state joint session in 20 years and questioned why this couldn’t be arranged for Ruto.
Ruto’s state visit began with a trip to Atlanta and then continued to Maryland. Despite being the subject of an International Criminal Court investigation in the past, the inquiry has been halted. Additionally, Ruto faced criticism for his condolences following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
Meeks and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul had previously requested Johnson to send a formal invitation to Ruto to address Congress in honor of the Kenyan-US diplomatic relationship. However, Johnson declined, citing scheduling conflicts.
According to Johnson’s communications director, Taylor Haulsee, the lack of an invitation for Ruto to speak before Congress was due to scheduling restraints. Instead, other forms of engagement were offered, including meetings with bipartisan leadership.
Johnson also stated his expectation for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to sign a letter inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress, which raised concerns among House Democrats about the absence of an invitation for Ruto.
Other House Democrats, including Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar and Ways and Means Committee ranking member Richard E. Neal, expressed frustration over Johnson’s decision. They argued that Ruto’s state visit should have been treated with the same level of respect as visits from other parts of the world.
House Democrats are disappointed with Speaker Mike Johnson’s choice not to invite Kenyan President William Ruto to speak at a joint session of Congress. They believe that Ruto’s state visit should have been given more importance and are concerned about the missed opportunity for engagement with Africa.
