By Moira Warburton

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a Democratic proposal to establish a U.S. State Department agency to counter anti-Muslim bias. The vote came after a Republican representative used an Islamophobic slur to attack a Democratic colleague.

In a 219 to 212 vote, the House supported the bill.

Ilhan Omar (Representative) drafted the bill. It would establish a special envoy to monitor and combat Islamophobia, and also include anti-Muslim violence state sponsored in departmental annual reports on human rights.

Omar spoke on the House’s floor: “We live in the midst a remarkable rise of anti Muslim violence and discrimination across the globe.” Islamophobia has global dimensions and must be addressed by all.

A few weeks ago, video surfaced showing Lauren Boebert, first-term Republican lawmaker, calling Omar (a Muslim second term congresswoman born in Somalia) a member of “jihad squad.”

The comment led to Democrats calling to vote for Boebert to be stripped of her assignments to committees. Nancy Mace was also critical.

Republicans deplored the bill calling it partisan and too rushed.

After Scott Perry claimed that Omar was anti-Semitic, and associated with terrorist organisations, the debate over the bill was halted for nearly an hour. Perry’s comments on the House Floor impugned Omar and were unsuitable, according to the House Chair.

Representatives of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer declined to comment on the request. The fate of the bill in this chamber is unknown.