by Republican leaders in the House hope to pass a rule on Monday to hold floor votes on a bill to strengthen the administration’s ability to arrange gas heaters saw their efforts go up in flames after members of the House Freedom Caucus (HFC), who are among the most conservative lawmakers in Congress, joined Democrats in opposing the rule.
The final vote for the rule was 206-220. A dozen Republicans opposed the rule — 11 of those who voted no were members or ally of the House Freedom Caucus. The 12th vote against the rule was cast by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who voted no to retain the option of voting on it again later. All Democrats in the chamber voted against.
Several of the conservatives said they voted against the rule because of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s handling of the debt ceiling and broken promises he made to them to win the speakership.
Representatives Dan Bishop, Republican of North Carolina, and Ken Buck, Republican of Colorado, are both dissatisfied that McCarthy has broken his pledge to keep discretionary spending at fiscal year 2022 levels, which is not done by the bill to raise the debt ceiling. Doing. Instead, it keeps non-defense spending for 2024 at 2023 levels, allowing for increased funding for veterans and defense.
Rep. Texas Republican Chip Roy said of the debt ceiling: “We rolled. It was a bad deal. And it was a bad deal that was made when it shouldn’t have been lowered. We warned them not to cut that deal without come sit down and talk to us. So this is all about restoring a process that will fundamentally change things, back to what worked.”
Bishop told reporters that HFC members have not decided whether this was a one-time protest vote or whether they will continue to oppose the Republican leadership in rule voting.
“There is no decision on a motion to leave the seat. There is no decision on rules voting,” he said. “But the problem that has been caused entirely by the speaker’s approach to the debt ceiling package will have to be addressed.”
Rep. Florida Republican Matt Gaetz told CBS News, “We’re not going to be living in the age of the Imperial Speaker anymore.”
Scalise was seen talking to HFC members in the chamber while the vote was open, and later Tuesday night, several members who helped sink the bill met with House GOP leaders for about an hour. They indicated afterwards that the talks would continue.
The House Rules Committee had met Monday ahead of an expected vote later this week on the “Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act,” which would prohibit the federal government from banning the use of gas stoves. The bill was expected to pass the House despite assurances from federal regulators that they have no plans or intent to issue a ban on gas stoves.
Democrats have introduced a series of amendments, some of which mock the legislation and House Republicans’ decision to prioritize the bill.
A few amendments originally drafted by Representative Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, appeared to mock the legislation. One of those amendments called for a formal “congressional sense that gas stoves deserve attention for a statue of honor in Statuary Hall” at the Capitol. Another First Amendment by Moskowitz called for a “tsar’s position” within the Department of Energy called the “Supreme Allied Gas Commander” to oversee the use and sale of gas stoves.
Moskowitz told CBS News, “Nobody wants to ban gas stoves. Neither does the Biden administration. This is completely ridiculous.”
At the committee hearing on Monday, Rep. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican: “The White House wants to limit your ability to buy and use gas stoves.” Cole added, “Natural gas is used to heat just over half of the homes in my state, and just over a third of Oklahoma residents use a gas stove to cook at home.”
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Department of Energy each deny any consideration of a gas stove ban.
Jackie Kalil and Nikole Killion contributed to this report.
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