Washington, DC – The US House of Representatives is back to business after Republican lawmakers joined forces to resolve a deadlock over who would become the next speaker, the chamber’s president.
But Democrats warn that a Republican-controlled House with an empowered far-right contingent could create problems not only for President Joe Biden’s agenda, but also for the basic functions of the US government.
Newly appointed Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy presided over the floor on Monday as lawmakers adopted a package of rules to govern the House for the next two years — guidelines that Democrats argued would make it more difficult to pass important legislation, including government budget measures.
That package of rules included concessions McCarthy had agreed to in order to win the speakership. His candidacy had been blocked 14 times last week by far-right members of his own caucus.
To win the gavel in a historic 15th vote, McCarthy had to give in to certain demands, including lowering the threshold for requiring a vote of confidence in the Speaker. Now a single legislator can do it.
Monday’s rule package also contains new rules that make it more difficult to pass utility bills. Another concession would make it easier for Congress to cut funding to individual federal programs and agencies.
“What is clear from all of this is that the Republican Party no longer cares about governing, and this package of rules is ‘exhibit number one,'” Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern said on the House floor.
He condemned Republican House leaders who he said sacrificed their “own dignity” to satisfy the far right.
“The American people sent us here because they want us to put people above politics,” McGovern continued. “Unfortunately, this package of rules puts politics first, empowering the extremists who are only interested in their own power.”
‘We learned how to govern’
But for many Republicans, the deal that emerged from the speaker’s impasse represented a course correction that would put more power in the hands of individual lawmakers and allow for greater debate on the floor. To see also : The US House may not have a speaker when it meets. Here’s why.
“We’re going to have votes on term limits, balanced budgets, enforcement of our immigration laws, & more,” Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz said in a Twitter post celebrating the new rules.
Gaetz was a leading dissenter against McCarthy’s speakership in the initial rounds of voting, and Gaetz credited his fellow members with helping revise the House rules: “NONE of these things would have happened if we walked away, but with these concessions, the House is in a stronger position position.”
Hours before the election as a late-night speaker, McCarthy himself suggested that the deadlock would help the Republican caucus resolve its differences in the future.
“Because it took so long, we have now learned how to govern,” he said.
First bill takes aim at tax agency
The Republican House majority also passed its first bill on Monday – an attempt to reverse an increase in spending for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the US tax agency. Read also : The US says it is concerned about China’s “provocative military activity” near Taiwan.
McCarthy hailed the vote, saying it was the first order of business because “the government should be working for you, not against you”.
The bill was passed by 221 to 210 votes along party lines. That would undo the $80 billion budget increase given to the IRS in last year’s inflation reduction law.
But the Republican-led bill has no realistic chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate, let alone getting Biden’s approval to be signed into law. The Biden administration has already threatened to veto the measure, calling it a “reckless” effort that would make it easier for large corporations to avoid paying taxes.
Congress deeply divide
With Congress split between a Republican-led House and a Democratic-held Senate, the policy priorities of both parties could pass in a single chamber, but are unlikely to succeed in both. On the same subject : The US indicts the seven for an alleged conspiracy by Beijing to forcibly repatriate “elite” Chinese.
Therefore, partisan attacks have little chance of becoming law, and the current Congress is not expected to pass major legislation that advances the partisan political platforms of Republicans or Democrats.
But some analysts have worried that the Republican infighting and Monday’s rulemaking package are a sign of more alarming things to come. They fear the House may not be able to pass must-pass laws, including state budgets and bills to raise the debt ceiling.
Congress holds the government’s purse strings: It allocates funds to federal agencies and programs. Appropriation bills are periodically passed through Congress, but when funds run out, the federal government must either pass a new budget measure or shut down and suspend operations.
Later this year, Congress must approve an increase in the government’s borrowing power, known as the debt ceiling. And Democrats warn that if the Republican House plays politics with the issue, it could lead to catastrophic consequences for the US and global economy.
Congressman Ralph Norman, one of the Republicans who initially opposed McCarthy’s bid to lead, said last week that opposing a debt ceiling increase is a “non-negotiable item” for right-wing dissenters like him.
Ronald Seyb, a political science professor at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, said it could be “extraordinarily difficult” to pass spending bills and avoid government shutdowns during the new Congress.
“I don’t remember – at least in my memory – a time when I was more nervous about the possibility that it won’t just be brinkmanship, that it will be over the edge,” he told Al Jazeera.
Which party controls the House of Representatives 2022?
Which political party is currently in control of the House of Representatives? January 3, 2021: The 117th Congress officially begins, with Democrats in control of the House and Republicans in charge of the Senate.
Who runs the House of Representatives?
Elected by the entire House of Representatives, the Speaker serves as the leader of the House and combines several roles: the institutional role of president and administrative head of the House, the role of leader of the majority party in the House, and the representative role of an elected member of the House…
What party is in control of the Senate 2022?
One special election was also held to complete an unexpired term that ended on January 3, 2027. While pundits considered the Republican Party a slight favorite to gain control of the Senate, the Democratic Party exceeded expectations and expanded its majority since 2021.
How many Democratic senators are female?
59 women have served in the upper house of the United States Congress since it was created in 1789. As of January 3, 2023, there are 25 women (15 Democrats, 9 Republicans, and 1 independent) serving as United States Senators.
How many female senators are there in the US Senate? There are currently 25 women in the Senate. Find out more about them and their predecessors with the links below.
What is the current makeup of the Senate?
| United States Senate | |
|---|---|
| Structure | |
| Seats | 100 |
| Political groups | Majority (51) Democratic (48) Independent (3) Minority (48) Republican (48) Vacant (1) Vacant (1) |
| Length of term | 6 years |
When was the last Republican majority in the House?
The 2014 election gave Republicans control of the Senate and House for the first time since the 109th Congress. With 248 seats in the House of Representatives and 54 seats in the Senate, this Congress began with the largest Republican majority since the 71st Congress of 1929–1931.
Who was the last Republican Speaker of the House? BOEHNER, John Andrew | United States House of Representatives: History, Art and Archives.
Who controlled the House of Representatives in 2017?
Congressional overview The 115th Congress (2017–2019) featured unified Republican control of government with GOP majorities in the House and Senate, and Republican President Donald J. Trump in the White House. During the 115th Congress, 443 measures became law.
When was the last time the Senate was democratic?
The Senate had a Democratic majority, while the House had a Republican majority; such a split would not be repeated until the 118th Congress. This was the last time Democrats had control of the Senate until the 117th Congress in 2021.
