The vote in the full House of Representatives came Wednesday afternoon as a small group of hardline Republicans appeared to attack Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), who is working with Democrats on a bipartisan basis to avert a government shutdown. was rejected.
Tensions rose on Capitol Hill as Republicans turned against their own party in the normally sleepy procedural vote.
What followed appeared to be a bitter confrontation between Mr. Johnson and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), who has been a leading critic of Republican leadership since the announcement of the government spending deal.
House Republicans split over calls to oust Johnson from speakership: 'Working for Joe Biden'
Both men were visibly animated, occasionally pointing and shaking their heads as the group of lawmakers and staffers around them grew.
Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) speaks about the debt limit during a Freedom Caucus press conference at the Capitol on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
Thirteen members of the House Freedom Caucus and their allies voted against Republicans, sinking the so-called rules vote, but it was a major public setback for House Republican leadership, which is currently contesting just two seats in the majority. became.
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A rules vote is a procedural measure taken to clear the way for a final House vote on passage of a bill. It is historically rare for them to fail. Before this Congress, the rules hadn't broken since 2002. Republican hardliners weaponized the rules vote several times last year.
This story has been interrupted and will be updated…
