House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) made history Thursday night, effectively surrendering Republican majority control to Democrats just before midnight.
For the first time in recorded history, since the House began keeping records, the House Rules Committee relied on a minority vote to advance proposed rules to the House floor over the objections of the majority.
The committee voted 9-3, with all four Democrats and five Republicans on the committee voting to move the proposed rules to the House floor. If the rule passes with Democratic support as expected, it would allow a vote on Johnson’s foreign aid package. It includes tens of billions of dollars to finance Ukraine.
Conservative Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas), Thomas Massey (R-Kentucky), and Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina) voted against it.
The chairman is trying to use the Democratic Party to get his point across. #America’s last Foreign war package (zero border security) passes the rules committee over opposition from countries @chiproytx, @RepThomasMasie & @RalphNorman.
The Speaker has never used the minority in the rules to embolden his party.
— House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) April 18, 2024
The powerful House Rules Committee has been known for generations as the “Chairman’s Committee” because of the control the Speaker has over the committee and its reputation as a rubber stamp for the Speaker’s agenda. Set the House’s agenda through what you have. As a rule.
Well, it appears to be the first time in recorded history that a minority of members of the Rules Committee will vote in favor of reporting a rule to compensate for a majority vote against it*.
* – That is, since 1995 😁
(Do not omit this asterisk when quoting this.) https://t.co/zMPKC7Wtme— Ringwiss (@ringwiss) April 19, 2024
The rules do not simply allow voting on bills. 8 pages of complex and complex language. rule, As with many rules, there are deliberate deviations from what the rules say.
For example, after a question from Massey, Speaker Michael Burgess (R-Texas) said the rule had different components as part of Johnson’s complex plan to consolidate four bills and take advantage of the urgency. He acknowledged that it includes language that will be sent to the Senate as one package. Pass aid to Israel to ensure Ukrainian funds pass through Congress.
“The four bills that we heard testimony about today will be submitted to the Senate as amendments to the underlying bill,” Burgess said, acknowledging that the underlying bill itself is an unrelated “veterans bill.” .
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News’ Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
