For the fifth time in the 118th Congress, a procedural vote to proceed with legislation in the House of Representatives has failed.
On Jan. 10, joining all 203 Democrats, 13 House Republican conservatives again tanked a vote, 203–216, to adopt a rule surrounding measures for later votes, in protest of GOP leadership.
It’s the first time the House has failed to pass a rule during the second session of the 118th Congress. In the House, voting to move to the consideration of bills is required to proceed to a vote on the final passage or rejection of a measure.
The procedural vote would have allowed the chamber to vote on a bill related to restitution made by U.S. government officials, a disapproval resolution blocking a regulation by the National Labor Relations Board regarding joint employers, and a disapproval resolution to block a Biden administration regulation related to materials for electric vehicle chargers.
The members who kept the rule from passing—the second such occurrence under House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)—included Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), chairman of the staunchly conservative House Freedom Caucus, and Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.). House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) voted against the procedural move in order to bring it up for a vote again.
The vote appeared to be a protest over the government funding deal agreed to by Mr. Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (R-N.Y.). It consists of the top line at $1.59 trillion with $69 billion in discretionary spending that was struck in a side deal earlier this year between former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and President Joe Biden—bringing the total spending amount to almost $1.66 trillion.
The $1.59 trillion figure also was agreed to by Mr. McCarthy and President Biden as part of increasing the debt ceiling.
The deal between Mr. Schumer and Mr. Johnson also includes $10 billion in additional IRS personnel cuts this year on top of the $10 billion in such cuts already set for this year under the debt ceiling agreement. That means that IRS personnel cuts that had been scheduled for next year were moved to this year.
Additionally, it consists of $886 billion in defense spending, with a 5.2 percent pay raise for members of the military and $704 billion for other discretionary spending.
The budget deal also consists of $6.1 billion in COVID spending cuts.
The latest failed rule vote is a setback for Mr. Johnson, who could be in jeopardy of losing the gavel over the spending deal.
Mr. Roy, when asked this week on CNN if he would put forth a motion to vacate the chair, didn’t rule it out. It only takes one member to put forth the motion; Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) did so in September 2023, leading to the ouster of Mr. McCarthy from the role that is second in line of succession to the presidency. It was the first time a speaker was ousted through the motion.
Earlier in the day, the speaker said he wasn’t concerned about the possibility of being ousted.
Responding to the failed rules vote, Mr. Johnson expressed confidence that the spending deal would make it across the line.
“It’s going to survive,” Mr. Johnson told Fox News. “What I’ve told Ralph Norman and Chip Roy, who are my close friends, I’m also a conservative hardliner, that’s been my entire career in Congress and all of my years as a legislator. Cutting spending, this is a big priority for us, the Republican Party.”
He defended himself against conservative criticism that the spending deal wasn’t strong enough.
“Chip and Ralph and others are frustrated it doesn’t go far enough, I’m frustrated too, but remember we have a two-vote margin and only one chamber, only in the House is where we have the majority,” the speaker said. “And so we have to work with the numbers we have and get the best we can.”
Last year, during the first session of the 118th Congress, the House failed to pass rules four times because of hardline House GOP conservatives rebelling against their party’s leadership.
Those Republicans didn’t want to approve any spending until they were assured that all 12 appropriations bills would be considered under “regular order,” meaning that each bill is considered separately, with an opportunity for members to debate it and offer amendments.
The fourth time was in November 2023, when 19 hardline conservative Republicans joined Democrats in blocking consideration of an appropriations bill and an Iran-related measure. This was in protest to the continuing resolutions (CR) put forth by Mr. Johnson to fund the government at current levels. They passed the House.
The first CR expires on Jan. 19, and the other one on Feb. 2. The former relates to food safety, housing, and transportation, while the latter deals with the military, scientific research, and national parks.
