The House passed a procedural vote on Jan. 11, one day after hardline GOP conservatives blocked such a vote in protest against GOP leadership amid the government spending deal made between House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
The tally was 211–202 with one voting “present.”
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.
With the rule adopted, the House was set to proceed to vote on bills related to restitution made by U.S. government officials and a disapproval resolution to block a Biden administration regulation related to materials for electric vehicle (EV) chargers.
Overcoming the procedural hurdle will also allow for a vote on a disapproval resolution blocking a regulation by the National Labor Relations Board regarding joint employers. However, a vote on the measure is scheduled for Jan. 12.
The Jan. 10 procedural vote was the first time the House has failed to pass a rule during the second session of the 118th Congress.
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 to bring it up for a vote again.
The vote appeared to be a protest against the government funding deal agreed to by Mr. Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-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-19 spending cuts.
However, the Freedom Caucus denounced the deal in a statement on social media, calling it a “total failure” and “even worse than [the caucus] thought.” And some Republicans are calling for shutting down the government.
The latest failed rule vote was 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 whether 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, Mr. Johnson said he wasn’t concerned about the possibility of being ousted.
Responding to the failed rules vote, he expressed confidence that the spending deal would make it across the line.
Following a meeting with hardline conservatives, Mr. Johnson said on Jan. 11 that there was no agreement and were no changes regarding his deal with Mr. Schumer. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a Freedom Caucus member, confirmed to reporters that nothing had been agreed to.
