In a vote that bodes well for the new House Republican majority actually making good on its
campaign promises a (fairly) united House Republican Conference passed the new Rules package that was negotiated between House conservatives and now-Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Conservative leaders and organizations, led by Russ Vought and Citizens for Renewing America, were quick to release a statement recognizing the transformational nature of the Rules agreement, saying:
“After the entire political establishment, including all manner of legacy conservative pundits, said it was wrong or impossible, the 20 conservative stalwarts who temporarily blocked Kevin McCarthy from becoming Speaker have now forced an agreement that, as reported, is truly transformational in how the House of Representatives should be run. It levels a body blow against the DC political cartel that colludes against the American people.
“Namely, it gives House conservatives the procedural power through the all-important Rules Committee to control the consideration of all major bills and amendments — independence from Leadership not seen in nearly 60 years. It creates a modern-day Church-style committee with full authority and resources to hold the weaponized national security state accountable. It commits the House to balance the budget in ten years, with substantial cuts to woke and weaponized government, and dictates the terms for the upcoming fight on the debt limit. And it enforces all of these commitments by allowing any one member to force a vote on removing the Speaker. All of these are major priorities envisioned and championed by the Center for Renewing America.
“This agreement would not be possible but for the early and immediate five members who defined the art of the possible by publicly declaring their opposition to Mr. McCarthy. And now this agreement must be the foundation moving forward in the House of Representatives for all future Speakers.”
But last night’s vote wasn’t just a victory for House conservatives, as we explained yesterday in our column “New House Rules A Victory For All Republicans And Conservatives “ this vote is an unprecedented win for “We the People.”
We think Rep. Andy Biggs summed-up the week’s work pretty well: The conservative bloc forced changes that returned the House to a more deliberative, less centralized, posture. And they will have their votes on seven key bills, as well as a select committee to investigate abuse of power by the intelligence agencies and other matters crucial to unwinding the surveillance state and securing our country against threats from Red China and across the southern border.
But it would be churlish on our part not to recognize that Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whose leadership we have long been skeptical of, has also stepped-up to immediately make good on promises he made during his campaign for Speaker.
First, he put our friend and Congressman, Rep. Byron Donalds on the House Republican Conference Steering Committee, where he will have an influential vote on who sits on what committee and other House Republican Conference business.
Second, Speaker McCarthy announced that Democrat Representatives Swalwell, Schiff and Omar will be off national security-related committees they’d been appointed to by former Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi: The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Foreign Affairs.
Third, Speaker McCarthy appointed House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Mark Green as Homeland Security Committee Chairman. This a gavel that was widely assumed to be going to Rep. Dan Crenshaw, who managed to beclown himself by referring to fellow Republicans who were working for the Rules package as “terrorists.”
Mr. Green has promised to place Homeland Security Committee staff at the border and is rumored to be sympathetic to the idea of impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who is at the center of two of the biggest scandals of the Biden administration – the complete collapse of our southern border and the domestic spying and censorship operation now being exposed through the Twitter files and Freedom of Information Act requests.
Of course, a night of good feeling isn’t the same as the passage of the conservative agenda items that were bottled-up by Democrats during Mrs. Pelosi’s tenure as Speaker, but it is a promising start.
The Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121 call and thank Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the 20 conservatives who fought to return the House of Representatives to the deliberative body envisioned by the Founders:
Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.)
Rep. Dan Bishop (N.C.)
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.)
Rep. Josh Brecheen (Okla.)
Rep. Michael Cloud (Texas)
Rep.-elect Eli Crane (Ariz.)
Rep. Andrew Clyde (Ga.)
Rep. Byron Donalds (Fla.)
Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.)
Rep. Bob Good (Va.)
Rep. Paul Gosar (Ariz.)
Rep. Andy Harris (Md.)
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (Fla.)
Rep. Mary Miller (Ill.)
Rep. Ralph Norman (S.C.)
Rep. Andy Ogles (Tenn.)
Rep. Scott Perry (Pa.)
Rep. Matt Rosendale (Mont.)
Rep. Chip Roy (Texas)
Rep. Keith Self (Texas)
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