House Rules Vote to Test Unity of Republicans

“House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) will face his first challenge in keeping his raucous conference united Monday, as Republicans aim to pass a rules package dictating the terms of the next session of Congress, a required step before moving on to legislation,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The package, which includes standard rules on decorum, also restores what is known as the motion to vacate the chair, a procedure that would allow one Republican member to ask for a vote to remove the speaker. It also outlines several key Republican priorities around spending, such as banning consideration of any bill that has the net effect of increasing mandatory spending. Both were added due to pressure from conservatives.”

“All Democrats are likely to vote against the rules package, so the vote will be the first indication of how Republicans will muscle through GOP-led legislation in the House, where they have a narrow majority of 222 Republicans to 212 Democrats, with one vacancy.”