As a consequence of last week’s difficult speakership negotiations, seven republican bills are guaranteed a House vote.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and the 20 conservative holdouts negotiated the seven proposals, which are included in the House rules package and will be put to a vote on the House floor in the 118th Congress on Friday. McCarthy was able to win the gavel thanks to the seven bills.
The House rules package guarantees that the seven bills will be put to a vote on the House floor and cannot be stopped by House leadership.
The legislation, if enacted by both the House and Senate, will limit the IRS, China, illegal immigration, and abortion. The following are the specifics of the negotiated language:
1) A measure to revoke certain Internal Revenue Service balances.
2) A measure to provide the Sec. of Homeland Security the authority to suspend the admission of immigrants and other people.
3) A measure prohibiting the Sec. of Energy from shipping petroleum products from the U.S. Strategic Oil Reserves to China, among other things.
4) A measure to alter the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act to require district attorneys and prosecutors to report to the AG, and for other purposes.
5) A bill to require an instant national criminal background check system to notify ICE and relevant Local and State law enforcement agencies whenever information available to the system shows that an individual who is illegally in the U.S. may be attempting to obtain a firearm.
6) Legislation prohibiting taxpayer-funded abortions.
7) A bill to modify Title 18, U.S. Code, to make it illegal for a healthcare practitioner to fail to provide the necessary level of care to a child who survives an abortion.
The package also contains a number of regulations that will act as guideposts for the House as it moves forward. Among the restrictions are provisions to prohibit taxes, out-of-control spending, and debt ceiling increases; a minimum of 72 hours between the floor vote and the release of bill text.
“It is crucial that the Rules Committee reflect the will of the people. And it is part of this framework,” said Rep. Chip Roy. “What we agreed upon in the framework will need accountability. We will need to be able to continue to believe that we will be able to carry out what we agreed to in the framework.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized the rules package for limiting the Republican-controlled House’s ability to kowtow to Senator Chuck Schumer and Senate Dems.
“What we’re witnessing is a dwindling speakership,” she told reporters. “It’s not good for the House of Representatives. We are the people’s house. We must bargain with the Senate. We must bargain with the White House. Instead, we are weakening the House’s leadership position.”
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