WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives paused Tuesday for a moment of silence for victims of the deadly Metro-North derailment, but in a shift from other recent memorials, the moment came before an almost empty chamber.
The dead and injured New Yorkers were memorialized by members of the New York delegation after almost all their colleagues left the room.
Aides to New York members said House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) deemed the event not a significant enough national tragedy for the moment of silence to occur between votes.
“When a tragedy like this happens, a senseless tragedy, we as Americans all pull together, wherever the tragedy occurred, said Rep. Eliot Engel, (D-Bronx) whose district includes the crash site.
But even as they declined to comment publicly on the sensitive issue, multiple members and staffers privately wondered whether the downgrade was the latest result of an anti-New York-animus they blamed for Republican refusal last year’s to quickly OK emergency aid for the liberal-leaning big Apple after Hurricane Sandy.
“I think it may be an anti-New York thing,” said one senior staffer to a delegation member. “I wouldn’t rule it out, even if Republicans don’t realize it.”
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), who knew one of the passengers, killed, Jim Lovell of Philipstown, requested the moment of silence occur, as is typically the case for major tragedies, between House votes, when the chamber is full, according to aides to New York members.
There are no rules for such memorials, but Boehner in a bid to prevent proliferation of observances that slow down the chamber, has said that what it considers national tragedies get moments of silence between votes, while “regional” tragedies get unofficial moments during time reserved for miscellaneous short speeches.
Democratic aides said Boehner’s office denied a request for a moment before the full House, allowing it only after votes.
They noted other moments of silence this year for seemingly regional events, 19 Arizona firefighters killed by a wildfire, Oklahoma residents killed by tornadoes in May, were observed by the whole House.
Other moments, such those for the one year anniversary of shooting for the anniversary of mass shootings in Aurora Colo., and for two police officers killed in the line of duty in Santa Cruz., Calif., and three firefighters killed in Houston.
A Boehner spokesman declined to respond.
