(Mark Pellin, Headline USA) After spending four days showing the world how a constitutional republic is supposed to function, a Republican majority of the U.S. House on Monday presented a unified front and delivered a rules package that champions many of the policies, agendas and committee assignments favored by Freedom Caucus members and their growing coalition of allies, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Republicans passed the rules package with a 220 to 213 vote mostly along party lines; all Republicans voted for it except Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales, and all Democrats opposed it.
The rules package, which was based largely on concessions that McCarthy had negotiated with Freedom Caucus Republicans, “reflects what I think is a fundamental transformation of this House to ensure that the people can be represented by their representatives,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said from the House floor. “That’s the point.”
“You bet that we’ve had agreements that we’re going to bring the Texas border plan to make sure we’re going to secure the border, rather than perpetuating the fraud that the president of the United States continues to perpetuate, endangering American people,” he said.
“You bet that we’re bringing forward a promise to have legislation that will set term-limits because the American people are tired of a House that doesn’t represent them.”
Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., expanded on the scope of the rules package and what it means for the House Republican majority’s agenda.
“We now have the tools to stop trillions in reckless spending, special interest handouts, secret last-minute deals, and other abuses,” Perry wrote. “We have the ability to hold our leadership accountable on their promises to the American People to dismantle the radical Biden agenda.”
The House majority proved it Monday, putting the rules package to work, unanimously voting to repeal the Biden regime’s 87,000 IRS agents expansion.
Imagine being a Democrat who voted aganist defunding more IRS agents to protect hardworking Americans and small businesses from being targeted by the federal government.
Have fun explaining that one to your constituents back home.
COULDN’T BE ME!!
🫶🏿FL-19🫶🏿
— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) January 10, 2023
“This was our very first act of the new Congress, because government should work for you, not against you,” McCarthy tweeted. “Promises made. Promises kept.”
The measure is almost certain to fail in the Senate, but GOP lawmakers said it was an opening salvo of what promises to be an aggressive accounting of the Biden administration.
Nixing the 87,000 IRS agents tonight and conservatives are just getting started! pic.twitter.com/SfiWyOxX5j
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) January 10, 2023
By almost any measure, the approved rules package reflected major wins for House Freedom Caucus members. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Arizona, rolled them out in a lengthy Twitter thread:
- Restores the Motion to Vacate rule that can remove a failing House Speaker.
- Restores the Holman Rule that holds members of the deep state accountable by stripping their salary.
- Ensures that bills coming to the Floor are single-subject.
- Requires bill text to be made available at least 72 hours prior to a vote in the House.
- Halts proxy voting in the House and remote proceedings in committees.
- Eliminates woke, gender-specific language
If followed and enforced, these types of rule changes allow us to better represent our constituents.
It’s hard to believe some of these rules weren’t already in place!
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) January 9, 2023
“The 20 patriots who held the line deserve all of the credit for this,” tweeted talkshow host Mike Crispi, concerning the lawmakers who negotiated the speaker’s deal. “This is how you apply leverage to make the best out of a bad situation. The Freedom Caucus must now keep the full court press on for the sake of the country.”
They might have some company, if the tone McCarthy struck Monday is any indication of his intentions moving forward. The new speaker gave his full endorsement of the rules package.
“Congress has been broken for a long time,” McCarthy tweeted after the rules had passed. “Over the years, a concentration of power within the Speaker’s Office has kept lawmakers on the legislative sidelines. Lawmaking should be open to all members—not just a select few—so that the best ideas win.”
Rules that:
→ Empower members to debate
→ Increase transparency
→ Reopen Congress to We the PeopleAre replacing rules that:
→ Silenced representative’s voices
→ Kept deal-making hidden behind closed doors
→ Allowed for unconstitutional proxy voting— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) January 10, 2023
“It is a real shame that the Democrats are opposing the rules package which better enables every Member of Congress to represent their constituents equally,” cracked Montana GOP Rep. Matt Rosendale, who was key in negotiating the concessions that set the tone for the new rules.
