Posted on 01/09/2023 9:38:10 AM PST by SeekAndFind
It took 15 ballots and the full first week of the 118th Congress to finally elect GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as Speaker of the House, but crossing the finish line doesn't mean the new speaker's work opening the new Congress is close to being done.
The negotiations that took place on the margins of the public House floor spats between Republicans included several provisions that were worked into the House rules package — the document adopted at the beginning of each Congress that sets the ground rules for how the lower chamber will function for the next two years.
So what did the holdout Republicans get for their days-long resistance to continuing business as usual in the House?
One of the biggest concessions is a rule "to allow any member to offer a privileged resolution declaring the Office of Speaker vacant," meaning any one member of the House can call a vote to remove Speaker McCarthy from his position.
Another change in the rules "replaces current 'pay-as-you-go' requirements to reduce federal spending with 'cut-as-you-go' requirements" through a provision to cap spending at 2022 levels that "prohibits consideration of a bill, joint resolution, conference report, or amendment that has the net effect of increasing mandatory spending within a five-year or ten-year budget window."
The negotiated rules package includes an order of business providing for "consideration of a bill to provide for the development of a plan to increase oil and gas production under oil and gas leases of Federal lands."
In addition, the rules package provides for bills:
What's more, rather than the bloated omnibus bill process — that most recently saw $1.7 trillion spent in a 4,155-page piece of legislation without time for members to read the full text — the proposed rules provide for "separate consideration of seven bills under a closed rule with one hour of debate equally divided" between Republicans and Democrats. For all bills, the proposed rules package includes a "72-hour notice requirement prior to consideration of legislation" to give representatives more time to review bills before having to vote on them.
The proposed rules also bring back the "Holman Rule" which "allows amendments to appropriations legislation that would reduce the salary of or fire specific federal employees, or cut a specific program."
In the negotiated rules package, resolutions are included to establish a Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, plus a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government as a select investigative subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee and a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic under the the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
There's a lot in the new rules package (outlined in full here), most of it necessary in order to secure support for McCarthy's election as Speaker of the House — but there are already some Republicans who aren't all-in on the the proposed rules.
On Face The Nation this week, Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said he's a "no" on adopting the House rules, citing the reduction in defense spending:
Texas GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales says one of the reasons he will vote against the proposed House rules package is due to the defense spending cut, which he says is "a horrible idea." But, Gonzales goes on to say, "I'm not whipping other members to vote against it." pic.twitter.com/ipGhhAbn9C— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) January 8, 2023
GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, as of Sunday, was still "on the fence" as to how she'd vote on the House rules:
NEWS: Will GOP Rep. Nancy Mace vote tomorrow in favor of the proposed House rules package? “I am on the fence right now,” she tells @margbrennan. pic.twitter.com/yBWuCWmmsE— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) January 8, 2023
The House will reconvene on Monday evening and is expected to move onto voting on the House rules so that committees and other functions of the lower chamber can begin one week after the first day of the 118th Congress. McCarthy faces another tight vote that will again require the moderate wing of the House GOP Conference to agree on the same matter as the more conservative members.
With the slim Republican majority, a small group of opponents can successfully derail most legislation if Democrats are unwilling to help McCarthy — much as was seen last week as a few holdouts forced 15 votes before finally relenting to allow a speaker to be elected.
There is a reason Republicans are known to be stupid.
Thanks. It seems possible cuts to defense is what is getting some, probably recipients of Defense contracts.
Soon, our payments on debt interest will be so high cuts will have to be made. With so many billions going to Ukraine without any accountability I don’t sympathize with these people.
Neo-Con mace must be gone in 24.
I’m sorry, but these “rules” do no more than make the GOP do what they PROMISE their voters.
Oh noes!! The rubes actually want them to keep their promises.
Some here believed all was good that Kevin “agreed” to a the list he was given, i.e., “we won”.
Many of us believed it was no win at all because not one of them had been voted on. I still believe that.
It doesn’t cut defense, just blocks net spending increases. In other words, if he wants to increase defense he needs to cut elsewhere. I don’t see the problem.
The assistant dems are speaking.
Yeah. Nancy Mace.
Need I say more??
Each one of us reading this, if American, has a Representative in Congress. For those of us who have a Republican representing their district, PLEASE write, email and/or call them now!
House of Representative Phone # (202) 225-9889
(They can place your call to your Congressman’s office).
Website: https://www.house.gov/representatives
You can find and email your Congressman through this site.
If it is not clear by now, the GOP has been and continues to be worthless. McCarthy, McConnell and McDaniel, the Micks, are drunk with power for personal gain. They are untalented hacks. McCarthy has NEVER had a job in the private sector. That says it all. Lifer government employees have no shame. They do not accomplish anything with their lives. The only thing they build are shitholes, but delude themselves about their own greatness blinding to the fact that their sorry and pathetic existence is only due to forcibly confiscating tax dollars from those that do real work They are the enemy of the American people. If you work for government, get some self respect and get a real job in the private sector. Stop being a niggardly welfare recipients. In fact, you are below welfare recipients. At least they just sit on their lazy asses at home and don’t actively make it more difficult for those that have real jobs.
Some years back it was the entitlements program that was supposed to consume the entire budget, leaving none for any other program, including defense.
This certainly no way to run a railroad.
.
Deep State isn’t going down without (more) fighting
.
Never trust em. Been betraying us since 1960 when I started watchin.
Yep. First thing out of the gate is to screw the military. Stupid indeed.
I have no faith, McCarthy is a Denison of the failed state of California the worst in the union to date. He had lunch and a sit down with Klaus Schwab WEF globalists NWO great rest puke. Don’t be surprised at anything moving forward
Let the ink dry on the voting before popping the cork!
I am wondering if the rules can be “tweaked” prior to the vote?
Rescind certain balances made available to the Internal Revenue Service.
Got my vote it’s not a service it’s an operation
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.