A representative who previously sat on the House’s Science, Space and Technology Committee was mocked this week after a comment she made about the moon.
On Monday, Sheila Jackson Lee delivered a speech for supporters ahead of the total solar eclipse, in which she spoke about the sun and the moon.
“Sometimes you’ve heard the word full moon, and sometimes you need to take the opportunity just to come out and see a full moon…that complete rounded circle, which is made up mostly of gases,” the Texas Democrat said. “The sun is a mighty powerful heat, and it’s almost impossible to go near the sun.”
She added that “the moon is more manageable” and said NASA will be going back to the moon in a few years.
LAURENT EMMANUEL/AFP/Getty Images
Some users on social media mocked Jackson Lee’s comments on Tuesday and cited her previous membership on the science and space panel.
“Sheila Jackson Lee (D) sat on the House Science Committee AND the House Space Committee…and she thinks the moon is made of gas,” John Hasson of TownHall.com wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Republican National Committee’s RNC Research account on X shared a video of Jackson Lee’s comments and wrote, “Democrat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee: It’s “almost impossible to go near the sun,” but the “moon is more manageable” because it’s “made up mostly of gases” (it isn’t).”
The moon is “rocky,” according to Space.com, and is made up of oxygen, silicon, magnesium, iron, calcium, aluminum, chromium, titanium and manganese.
Newsweek reached out to Jackson Lee’s press office via email for comment.
“Sheila Jackson Lee thinks that the moon is made of ‘gasses.’ She has been in congress for 30 years,” X user Still Boneless wrote.
X user @amuse wrote, “Our Best & Brightest: Rep Sheila Jackson Lee has become a multimillionaire serving her constituents in Congress. Listen to her explain the composition of the moon.”
The Citizen Free Press account on X wrote, “Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee says the moon is made out of ‘gases’ and the sun is ‘almost’ too hot for us to go near. These are the ‘science is real’ folks.”
X user Kyle Becker, a former Fox News producer wrote, “Congresswoman/Astrophysicist Sheila Jackson Lee tells Americans the moon is made out of ‘gases’ and the sun is ‘almost’ too hot for us to go near. Here is your elected leadership, America. Don’t wonder why the country is going to hell. This is why.”
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.