Freshman Dem stopped after trying to bring beer onto House floor

Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.) was stopped by House security Friday after he attempted to bring a six-pack of beer to a fellow lawmaker on the House floor as a gesture of friendship.

Cunningham tweeted Friday that he was stopped while attempting to bring a selection of local South Carolina brews to Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio (D) and was told that it was not allowed.

“Making friends when you’re a freshman is hard and I thought I’d grease the skids with some Lowcountry beer,” Cunningham joked on Twitter. “Thankfully @RepPeterDeFazio got it in the end! Can I join the beer caucus now?”

Making friends when you’re a freshman is hard and I thought I’d grease the skids with some Lowcountry beer. Thankfully @RepPeterDeFazio got it in the end! Can I join the beer caucus now? https://t.co/RtW6InDfTK

— Rep. Joe Cunningham (@RepCunningham) January 11, 2019

{mosads}A photo posted by Politico reporter Laura Barrón-López showed DeFazio walking outside the Capitol with the six-pack in hand.

Cunningham could end up being the newest member of the bipartisan “beer caucus,” as an incoming freshman. The House Small Brewers Caucus, which currently includes 234 members representing 43 states, offers residents the chance to invite their representatives to join the caucus via a link on its website.

In his own tweet later Friday, DeFazio responded welcoming Cunningham to the caucus and pledging to work on a rules change regarding alcohol on the House floor.

Welcome aboard, @RepCunningham. First order of business—working on a rules change regarding six-packs on the House Floor. Only small & independent craft brews allowed! https://t.co/zDdmTP1Tsk

— Rep Peter DeFazio (@RepPeterDeFazio) January 11, 2019

DeFazio co-chairs the caucus, which he founded in 2007, and the group’s signature achievement to date remains the inclusion of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act in the GOP tax reform package passed in December 2017.

The act made significant cuts to the federal taxes on beer, wine and spirit producers, a top priority of America’s growing craft beverage industry.