By Gao Yun, Vision Times
On Friday, Nov. 21, just hours before New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani was scheduled to meet President Donald Trump at the White House, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning what it called the “horrors of socialism,” drawing wide attention from both parties.
According to the “New York Post,” the resolution, which was introduced by Florida Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, passed with bipartisan support in a 285–98 vote. All 98 lawmakers who voted against the measure were Democrats. Two Democrats voted “present,” including Oregon’s Janelle Bynum and North Carolina’s Deborah Ross.
RELATED: New York’s Socialist Experiment Under Zohran Mamdani Faces Harsh Economic Winds
The resolution states: “Congress condemns all forms of socialism and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States.” Salazar’s parents fled Cuba after Fidel Castro seized power.
A heated exchange
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During debate, tensions flared between Salazar and California Democrat Maxine Waters. From the House floor, Salazar accused Waters of having traveled to Cuba multiple times and meeting with Castro, whom Waters once referred to as a “friend.” Waters later voted against the resolution.
Salazar further claimed that Waters had “seen with her own eyes the destruction caused by Castro,” referencing Cuba’s mass exodus and political persecution. Waters immediately objected, demanded the remarks be stricken from the record, and Salazar ultimately withdrew her comments. Other Democrats who voted against the measure included former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, New York Rep. Yvette Clarke, Adriano Espaillat, and Dan Goldman.
RELATED: Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani Elected as Mayor of New York
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — who has publicly supported Mamdani — nevertheless voted in favor of the resolution. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer did not publicly endorse Mamdani, and has not revealed who he voted for in the New York City mayoral election.
Socialist policies under scrutiny
Staten Island Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis said during debate that “socialism is just a lighter version of communism,” arguing that policies promoted by Mamdani, such as the abolition of private property and government-run supermarkets, “align directly with Marxist communist doctrine.”
Salazar, Malliotakis, and other supporters pointed to Venezuela as a recent example of socialism’s collapse. The resolution’s text states that socialist systems often evolve into communist, authoritarian, or despotic regimes. It lists multiple historical examples, including:
- The Soviet Union under Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin, marked by mass repression and abuse
- China under Mao Zedong, with catastrophic political campaigns and social devastation
- Cuba under Fidel Castro, which experienced “severe human rights abuses and economic ruin,” according to the resolution
The document also highlights North Korea’s disaster under Kim Jong Un, citing estimates of up to 3.5 million deaths from famine. Additional data included:
- 10 million people sent to Soviet Gulag labor camps
- 15 to 55 million deaths during China’s Great Leap Forward due to famine and policy failures
A closely-watched meeting
A companion resolution was introduced in the Senate by Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott. Both measures were filed in early September, shortly before the New York City general election but after Mamdani won the Democratic primary.
As the House voted, Mamdani had just landed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, preparing for his 3 p.m. meeting with Trump. The encounter was widely watched, given the public verbal clashes between the two over the past several months.
The meeting was closed to the press, though Trump told “Fox News” earlier that day that he might invite reporters into the Oval Office after the meeting concludes.
