House members receive new lapel pins mid-term, Democrats criticize as misplaced priority
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Members of the House received new lapel pins halfway through the congressional term because Republicans didn't like the color of the original ones.
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Democrats criticized the pins as representative of Republicans' misplaced priorities given more pressing issues like the war in Ukraine and potential government shutdown.
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The pins serve as identification and security badges allowing House members access to the floor and bypassing normal security.
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No official reason was given for the color change or timing, though some theories include clashing with outfits or helping Capitol police identification.
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One Democrat jokingly suggested the pins changed each time they get a new Speaker, alluding to recent Republican party conflict.