Nothing is more certain in life than death and taxes, but the success of a House rules vote was once a close third. This is a key procedural maneuver setting up debate on legislation in a congressional chamber where the majority party, and usually the speaker, historically has substantial control over the agenda.

Revise that to “had substantial control.” Before the current Congress, a House rules vote hadn’t failed in two decades. There have been six such failures under the current Republican majority, setting a modern record.