House Democrat Criticizes GOP’s New Rules for Upcoming Congress
Democratic Representative Jim McGovern expressed concerns on Wednesday about the House GOP’s recently unveiled rules package for the upcoming Congress, accusing Republicans of increasing their extreme measures by reducing the influence of the minority party and setting up a legislative agenda that favors billionaires and large corporations.
McGovern (D-Mass.), who serves as the leading Democrat on the House Rules Committee, stated that the GOP’s proposed changes would historically protect the speaker from full chamber accountability by allowing only Republicans to initiate a motion to remove the speaker.
The controversial rule specifies that a motion to remove the House speaker can only be considered “privileged” if it is proposed by a member of the majority party and is supported by at least eight cosponsors from the same party at the time it is presented. According to Axios, historically, any single member of the House, regardless of party affiliation, could introduce such a motion.
The rules package for the 119th Congress would also facilitate quick consideration of twelve Republican bills, including legislation that would penalize the International Criminal Court and ban any bans on fracking.
According to the new rules, neither party would be permitted to propose amendments to these twelve bills.
McGovern highlighted in his Wednesday statement that these Republican bills provide a clear insight into their plans for the next two years. “What I see is nothing that supports workers, nothing to reduce grocery prices, no measures to decrease rent or make housing more affordable. They’re silent on inflation and healthcare costs and virtually ignore jobs and the economy,” he said. Instead, McGovern argued, the GOP will likely prioritize tax cuts for billionaires and major corporations, ignoring the needs of everyday Americans.
The Washington Post reported that Republicans plan to balance the huge costs of their proposed tax cuts by cutting federal nutrition aid, introducing work requirements for Medicaid recipients, and preventing Medicare and Medicaid from covering anti-obesity drugs, among other changes.
McGovern vehemently added, “The American people did not vote for whatever the hell this is,” promising that Democrats will resist the Republicans’ attempt to transform the House of Representatives into a mere endorsement machine for radical policies.
The proposed GOP rules package is slated for a vote in the House as soon as a speaker is selected, potentially as early as Friday. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who enjoys the support of President-elect Donald Trump, is seeking re-election for the leadership position but faces tight competition, including from Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).
As noted by The American Prospect‘s David Dayen, Republicans are pressed for time as they have only three days to appoint a speaker before the confirmation of the presidential electors by Congress on January 6. “The House typically must choose a speaker first before proceeding with other business. Members-elect cannot be sworn in until a speaker has been chosen,” Dayen explained, foreseeing another challenging two years in Congress. He suggested that despite the obstacles, a united Democratic Party could significantly hinder the Republican agenda, a message that he believes Democrats need to hear.
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