Democrats were quick to attack Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) for the bill that fell on Monday that targeted the elected representative Sarah McBride (D-DE), the first transgender member of Congress. However, despite outraged social media posts and calls the GOP proposals “bullying,” several Democratic members say there are better things to do with their time than responding to a “messian” move.

The Democrats’ messaging tactic was advised by McBride, a Democratic lawmaker said Washington Examiner that the member-elect from Delaware pointed out to members that McBride saw the measure as a “small distraction and encouraged us to see it that way as well.”

“He is an experienced lawmaker who is focused on work,” the lawmaker said Washington Examiner. “Work is her top priority.”

Meanwhile, Mace and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have spoken out in opposition to McBride, referring to the Delaware lawmaker as a man or using McBride’s former name, known as deadnaming.

It is not yet clear how the resolution will be advanced through Parliament. Mace is pushing Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to include it in next year’s House rules legislation, which lawmakers will vote on shortly after being sworn into the 119th Congress on Jan. 3 2025.

If not included in the rules legislation, Mace threatened to file the bill as a privileged resolution, which would force a vote on the measure within two legislative days.

“I think it’s unfortunate that this is the way they want to go,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). “But anyway, I’m not going to react to every crazy thing these people do, but it’s just disappointing.”

When asked if Democrats should respond to defend a member of their caucus, McGovern took a more defensive approach.

“What are you asking me? This is bigotry,” McGovern said. “I mean, this is it. And I personally find it offensive, but (Republicans are) in control of the chamber. I suppose they have votes for their package of rules, but that’s what they choose to focus on and not improving the quality of life for anyone.”

Mace said he is not advocating for a gender-neutral bathroom to be built near the floor of the house that McBride could use.

The Democrat could use the men’s bathroom or the private bathroom members have in their congressional offices, Mace said, noting that the sergeant-at-arms, the head of law enforcement in the chamber, would be responsible for enforcing the ban.

“Let me make it as simple as I can: Men have no right to be in women’s restrooms,” Mace said.

It’s unclear how the bathroom ban would be enforced if adopted into the rules.

But in the past, leadership has resorted to fining members, such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), instituting fines of $5,000 for a first offense and $10,000 for a second offense for members who refused to pass through metal detectors after January 6. , 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) were part of a letter sent to the House Administration Committee in 2022, which called for gender-neutral bathrooms in the Capitol.

But currently, Jeffries has yet to call for gender-neutral bathrooms. During a press conference, when asked if there should be accommodations for transgender members of Congress, Jeffries criticized Republicans for prioritizing the issue.

“This small majority of the House Republican Conference is starting the transition to the new Congress by bullying a member of Congress,” Jeffries said. “Is that what we’re doing? Is that the lesson you learned from the November election? Is that your priority, that you want to bully a member of Congress instead of welcoming her to join this body?”

Meanwhile, Clark said Tuesday that “we’re not off to a very good start” with the GOP majority, arguing that the first question Republicans are asking is not about border security or keeping the economy going, but about “where a member of the 435… will he use the bathroom?”

“The American people are saying, ‘Mind your business about where people do their business,'” Clark said.

Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), the the newest member of Democratic leadership, expressed disappointment with Mace’s proposal and questioned its necessity.

“I don’t understand why the bathrooms are in the first place for (Mace),” said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL). “But he wants to think about where he’s going to screw up and f*** a future member, like, I don’t get it, I don’t get it.”

Both Mace and Greene said the transgender bathroom ban bill is “just the beginning” to ensure “no man is in women’s private spaces.” The two hinted at plans to extend those restrictions to all federal buildings and public schools that receive federal funding.

Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) said Democrats need to be “clear-eyed” at this point, arguing that they shouldn’t be “constantly answering for every little, silly thing that they do.” However, she said the party can respond by pointing out the lack of policy being pushed by members like Mace and Greene.

“It’s going to be constant,” Balint said, acknowledging that she believes Mace’s bill opens the door to more “cruelty.”

“They’re going to continue to do it … spend their precious time dehumanizing people and monitoring bathrooms and not actually pass any legislation that will help the people of this country,” the congresswoman added.

Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), one of several openly gay members of Congress, called the bill “disgusting” and said he was “sick to the stomach.” He said the group supports McBride “100 per cent” and that people should focus on what the newly elected member has achieved.

Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), another openly gay member of Congress, said he is waiting to see if the bill reaches the House floor. Asked if Democrats should respond to the bill and subsequent attacks, Pappas said there is a stark difference between serious and non-serious lawmakers.

“I think Nancy Mace is not serious about the challenges we face as a country,” Pappas said. Washington Examiner.

Senior Republicans remain relatively quiet on the matter, although Greene confirmed on Monday that Johnson was committed to banning women from using women’s facilities. The Georgia congresswoman said Tuesday that McBride “should not be using any of our restrooms in the Capitol.”

Other Republicans said they had yet to read the resolution, while one GOP lawmaker said Washington Examiner he would understand “why some women would feel uncomfortable with a biological male in their private spaces.”

Another GOP lawmaker said Washington Examiner that much of the presidential election has focused on transgender issues, arguing that it likely won’t go away anytime soon. Instead, the MP claimed it might be “time for a few sexless baths”.

Johnson flip-flopped on his position on this issue in a few hours. He initially said during a news conference Tuesday morning that he was “not going to get into that” before saying he believed it was an “order by which we treat all individuals with dignity and respect. We will.”

Later that day, he clarified his position.

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“Let me be clear: A man is a man and a woman is a woman, and a man cannot become a woman,” Johnson told reporters. “That being said, I also think that’s what the Scripture teaches us, which I just said, but I also think that we treat everyone with dignity.

“I believe all these things at the same time,” continued the speaker.