U.S. House adopts rules sought by hardliners to control McCarthy (updated)

UnipolSai Assicurazioni SpA

10/01/2023 24:15

(Recasts with House vote)
    By David Morgan and Moira Warburton
       WASHINGTON, Jan 9 (Reuters) - 
    The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives on Monday
adopted a package of internal rules that give right-wing
hardliners more leverage over the chamber's newly elected
Republican speaker, Kevin McCarthy.  
    Lawmakers voted 220-213 for the legislation, with only one
Republican voting against. All 212 Democrats voted against the
rules package, saying it was full of concessions to the
right-wing of the Republican Party.    
    The rules package, which will govern House operations over
the next two years, represented an early test of McCarthy's
ability to keep his caucus together, after he suffered the
humiliation of 14 failed ballots last week at the hands of 20
hardliners before finally being elected speaker on Saturday.
    The legislation includes key concessions that hardliners
sought and McCarthy agreed to in his quest for the speaker's
gavel. The changes include allowing a single lawmaker to call
for his removal at any time. Other changes would place new
restrictions on federal spending, potentially limiting
McCarthy's ability to negotiate government funding packages with
President Joe Biden, whose fellow Democrats control the Senate.
     Democrats denounced the legislation as a rules package for
“MAGA extremists” that would favor wealthy corporations over
workers, undermine congressional ethics standards and lead to
further restrictions on abortion services. “These rules are not
a serious attempt at governing. They're essentially a ransom
note to America from the extreme right,” Representative Jim
McGovern said.  
    Republicans have a narrow majority of 222-212 in the House,
after winning fewer seats than expected in November's midterm
elections. This has amplified the hardliners' power and raised
questions about how the divided Congress will function.
    Lawmakers face critical tasks in the year ahead including
addressing the federal government's $31.4 trillion debt limit.
Failure to do that, or even a long standoff, would shake the
global economy.
    Other changes include a 72-hour waiting period between when
a bill is introduced and when it can get a vote, a cap on
government spending at 2022 levels and the creation of a
committee to investigate the Justice Department.
 (Reporting by David Morgan and Moira Warburton in Washington;
Editing by Scott Malone, Alistair Bell, Aurora Ellis and Leslie
Adler)
 ((Moira.Warburton@thomsonreuters.com;))