PHX Reporter

Phoenix grassroots activist and former mayoral candidate Merissa Hamilton criticized Ariz. Republican U.S. Reps. David Schweikert and Juan Ciscomani after the two congressmen voted against an amendment reinstating airline pilots who were terminated due to COVID vaccine mandates.

"This should have been the easiest yes vote for every Republican in the Caucus to take," tweeted Hamilton, in response to a Grand Canyon Times article about the state congressional delegation's votes on the amendment.

Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Ga.) offered an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration authorization bill which would have reinstated the pilots. 

The amendment failed on a vote of 141-298, with 83 Republicans voting against the measure, and only one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), voting for it.  

In Ariz., Ciscomani and Schweikert joined Democrat Reps. Raúl Grijalva and Greg Stanton in voting against the amendment. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) was registered as "not voting" on the measure. Every other Ariz. Republican member supported the amendment. 

Miller said "we have a pilot shortage because of the chaos Biden caused with his vax mandates" and that she "will never stop fighting the Swamp on this," reported the Chambana Sun. 

Hamilton has worked as chairwoman of Strong Communities Action since April 2021, according to her LinkedIn profile. She worked as the national grassroots director for FreedomWorks from 2022 to 2023 was defeated in the the 2020 election for Phoenix Mayor by current Mayor Kate Gallego. Hamilton previously worked as the director of constituent services and strategic projects for the City of Phoenix. 

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How did Arizona's House members vote on the amendment to reinstate pilots fired due to COVID vaccine mandates?

Member Name	Party	Vote
Biggs	R	AYE
Ciscomani	R	NO
Crane	R	AYE
Gallego	D	NOT VOTING
Gosar	R	AYE
Grijalva	D	NO
Lesko	R	AYE
Schweikert	R	NO
Stanton	D	NO