House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is realizing that anything legislative might be shut down for the rest of the summer.
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Politico reported on Monday that Johnson’s leadership circle has realized there’s no chance of passing anything immigration related. Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill reported that sources told them, “A handful of House GOP hardliners tell us they will tank the rule this week without a plan on [immigration] and more as Johnson struggles to regain control of the House floor.”
Johnson already sent the House members home early ahead of the July 4th recess after “the last GOP floor meltdown,” Hill added.
On Monday, Johnson was at Camp David with White House officials and legislative affairs staff as they worked through what was next. All Johnson would say, however, is “further specifics will be provided later in the week.”
Hill said that “moderates and even some hardliners still need to be convinced.”
So, the first step is to stop the internal revolt in the GOP, reported Politico.
Some, like Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), are following President Donald Trump’s orders that anything passed must include his voting-related “SAVE America Act.” She was responsible for bills being blocked from votes before the July 4 break, leading to the GOP frustration and early exit.
Trump’s “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility America Act” has become his red line, meaning the Republican agenda is stalled out until Trump backs down or Republicans force vote in the bill.
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Speaking in an interview last week, Rep. Craig Goldman (R-Texas) said, “Not one member can understand the thought behind it. The hope is that when we come back, we start moving legislation again.”
Another issue is that hard-line conservatives wanted a strong immigration bill, and they got a handshake agreement on it from Johnson. However, the speaker hasn’t delivered. So, those Republicans are threatening their own blockade of the House floor, too. Most Republicans have agreed that they can’t sign off on the bill that the far-right members are demanding.
The House leadership is so concerned that they’re calling the White House to beg for help, the report said. Vice President JD Vance is being dispatched to the caucus lunch on Tuesday to lean on those who refuse to play ball. Most of those GOP members, however, are in safe seats and have already advanced through GOP primaries. It gives the White House zero leverage over them, whereas Trump could persuade GOP lawmakers ahead of their primaries by threatening to pick their opponents for endorsements.
One way the leadership has tried to convince the members is by passing a number of toothless bills critical of things like the Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship or condemning sanctuary cities. They aren’t laws, however, and serve little purpose other than congressional finger-wagging.
On the Senate side, the spending battles are “as dead as Woodrow Wilson,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), according to Politico.
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