Democrat Congresswoman from Washington State mocked as 'illiterate' over initiative to add pictures to laws because they're too difficult to interpret

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez (D-WA) announced on Tuesday that her initiative to include pictures in legislation has been passed. She suggested that laws are too difficult to comprehend without pictures.

Critics slammed the representative's remark on social media, calling her "illiterate" and stating that she should learn basic reading skills.

"Have you ever thought that it's really weird you can't add pictures to laws? I see so many laws that would be clearer and more logical if we could just include a map or a blueprint," Rep. Glusenkamp wrote on X. "Congress recently passed my initiative to bring legislation into the 21st century and explore including images in the text of bills–this is a long-overdue step in the legislative process."

Rep. Gluesenkamp-Perez attached a July 24 letter sent to leaders of the US House and Senate that laid out her vision. "Visual aids are a crucial tool for clearly conveying legislative intent. Despite the value that illustrations provide, there is currently no consistent process for incorporating them into bill text," she wrote. "This creates unnecessary uncertainty for Member offices, discourages the use of tools that could improve clarity, and ultimately limits Congress's ability to function as a representative body."

"For too long, our laws have been written for 'staffer bros' with bow ties who will issue guidance on how to follow them from cubicles on Pennsylvania Avenue," the rep continued. "We should be able to draft legislation that speaks to all Americans, regardless of how they learn or the profession they work in - from visual learners and foreman to lawyers and policy experts. A blueprint, diagram, map, or other illustration can communicate legislative intent more clearly than text alone, and Congress should have  a clear and consistent process for using that tool."

Social media users mocked the official's post on X.

"'Have you ever thought that it's really weird you can’t add pictures to laws?' No I haven’t. Never in my life," one user said.

Another individual wrote, "I’m blind. Will I be bound by how you describe the image to me?"

"How is adding images 'bringing it into the 21st Century?' Images came long before the written alphabet," added another user.

The Congresswoman oversees Washington's District 3, which includes Vancouver, Washington, a city across the river from Portland, Oregon. It's unclear when the changes will take effect.