Speaker McCarthy delivers…so far
By: Renee Parsons
The 118th Session of the U.S. House of Representatives is off to a roaring start, amidst adoption of HR 5. Rules negotiated between newly-elected Speaker Kevin McCarthy and twenty America First members. After five grueling days of balloting without a final selection, McCarthy won election by virtue of being smart enough to collaborate with the objecting members who remain unshakable in their principles.
What is unique is how, literally overnight, Republican House members morphed into a united, formidable party of relevance and authority as Majority Leader Steve Scalise (LA) and Rules Committee Chair Tom Cole (OK) took full command of the House floor guiding adoption of the rules on a party line 220 – 213 vote with one nay Republican vote.
As debates evolved over the next three days, Republicans played it perfectly, focused on the high road, maintaining a civil attitude of collegiality with reliable facts and pledging to benefit all Americans with a more equitable, engaged process before taking legislation to the House floor.
Meanwhile, across the aisle, the Democrats, led by ranking minority Rep. Jim McGovern (MA) went on the attack as Dems resorted to name calling, petty whining, and complaining; at times bordering on the emotionally overwrought without articulating a valid reason for their opposition. Whenever Democrats boast about abortion or lodge accusations of ‘terrorists,’ ‘extremists,’ or ‘election deniers,’ it is an admission that they do not have the votes or a credible factual argument and that they are on the ropes; especially as they are genetically incapable of debating without carping about former President Donald Trump and referring to all Republicans as MAGA extremists as if it were an insult.
Highlights of the week’s impressive legislative accomplishments include:
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HR 23 would rescind ‘certain balances to the IRS’ which would have funded 87,000 new IRS agents on a 221-210 vote with one Republican nay vote. The Senate needs to ratify.
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HR 12 creation of Select Subcommittee on Weaponization of Federal Government to function within the House Judiciary Committee; initially focused on Biden’s mishandling of classified documents which landed in the lap of the new subcommittee like manna from heaven. On a 221-211 vote with one nay Republican vote.
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HR 11 Creation of Select Committee on Strategic Competition between U.S. and Chinese Communist Party on a 365 – 65 vote with 146 Democrats in support (including Reps. Pelosi and Jeffries) and three Republicans Not Voting.
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HR 22 (Prohibiting American Strategic Petroleum Reserves from China Act) prohibits the DoE secretary from exporting/sale of American SPR to China was approved 331 – 97 with four Republican nay votes, with Reps. Pelosi and Jeffries opposing while 113 Democrats voted in the affirmative. Senate needs to ratify.
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HConR 3 Expressing Sense of Congress opposing recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches with 222-209 with three Dems voting Aye and three R’s not voting.
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HR 26 Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act; Failure of health care worker to provide proper degree of care to child who survives abortion or attempted abortion 220-210.
Meanwhile, Speaker McCarthy has been making promised committee assignments with Reps. Andy Ogles (TN) and Byron Donalds (FL) named to the influential Financial Services Committee and Rep. Ralph Norman (SC) continuing on the FSC. Donalds has also been named as the speaker’s representative on the administrative arm of the Republican Steering Committee. Rep. Andrew Clyde (GA) and Rep. Michael Cloud (TX) are appointed to the powerful Appropriations Committee. Three appointments to the essential Rules Committee are publicly pending although appointment selections have been made but not expected to be announced until Congress reconvenes on January 24th.
There is an undeniable new dynamism manifest as a quick look at proposed bills introduced by Republican House Members for committee consideration reveals widespread pertinent topics: HR 344 prohibit purchase of American real estate by CCP members; HR 336 immediate resumption of Building the Wall; HR 337 prohibition of a ban on gas stoves; HR 335 increased fentanyl penalty; HR 343 prohibit U.S. contributions to the World Health Organization, HR 348 required audit of COVID-19 funding and on and on.
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While McCarthy confirmed that Trump played a significant role in making the necessary calls, there is no agreement that he positively influenced the Twenty to ‘knock it off’ and seal the deal before they reached the point where the deal could not be improved upon. While some of the Twenty are already acknowledged as America First pioneers, others are growing into their niche as a new faction of politically savvy trailblazers; all no doubt re-energizing the House Republican party as it provides a model for the country and the Senate to experience how a determined single-minded truth-to-power minority can positively alter a once-resistant majority.
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This article (Speaker McCarthy delivers…so far) is republished here under “Fair Use” (see disclaimer below article) with attribution to the author Renee Parsons as well as the website americanthinker.com.
TLB Project recommends that you visit the American Thinker website for more great articles and information.
Read more articles and blog-posts by Renee Parsons.
About the author: Renee Parsons served on the once-prestigious ACLU’s Florida State Board of Directors and as president of the ACLU Treasure Coast Chapter. She has been an elected public official in Colorado, staff in the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender, an environmental lobbyist for Friends of the Earth, and a staff member of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington D.C.
Image Credit: Photo in Featured Image (top) – Office of the House Republican Leader, via Wikipedia & US House Seal – public domain
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