House Republicans Tuesday kicked off the 117th Congress by attempting to block the Democratic-crafted rules package for the session that will further sideline the GOP.
Rep. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican and top GOP lawmaker on the Rules Committee, demanded a vote to delay consideration of the resolution, which will govern how the chamber operates for the next two years.
“I really think my good friends in the majority need more time to present a fair rules package,” Cole said.
Democrats control the majority and will defeat any effort by the GOP to thwart passage of the package, and it is poised to pass later today.
The new rules include a provision that will limit the ability of the GOP to pass last-minute amendments to legislation through a motion to recommit.
Republicans successfully used the motion to recommit eight times, vexing Democratic leaders by luring in support for the GOP provisions from their own party. The new rule would change the motion to recommit so that it kills legislation, which means Democrats are far less likely to support the last-minute GOP provisions.
The Democratic rules package would also make it an ethics violation for members to knowingly distribute “deep fake” media, and it adds language requiring legislation to incorporate gender-neutral terms.
Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, condemned the rules changes in a speech he delivered Sunday before handing the gavel over to newly-elected Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat.
"These rules throw away over 100 years of representation in our nation’s Capital by effectively killing a key opportunity to amend legislation,” McCarthy said. "Worse, they would penalize any member who shares news or views that liberals and their allies in the media deem 'fake.' They actually make it an ethics violation, which is usually reserved for such unbecoming conduct as bribery and corruption.”
Democrats defended the changes, arguing the GOP used the motion to recommit to “hijack” the legislative process and that the “deep fake” social media images are harmful.
Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, told reporters Monday that gender-neutral terms that will be required in the House represent a diverse nation.
“From my standpoint, the gender-neutral language is just consistent with an effort from the House, in the best tradition of the House, to reflect the gorgeous mosaic of the American people in the most sensitive fashion possible,” said Jeffries.
