Thirteen Republicans joined with Democrats to vote against the rule for a trio of bills, preventing the chamber from debating and voting on the measures — which are unrelated to spending.
Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), the vice chair of the House GOP conference, changed his vote to oppose the rule shortly before the vote closed, a move that allows him to bring up the rule for another vote.
The final tally was 203-216. Republican leadership canceled an afternoon vote series following the revolt.
The show of opposition came days after Johnson unveiled a deal on top-line spending numbers for the remainder of fiscal 2024. Conservatives have railed against the deal for not cutting spending enough.
Congress is staring down Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 shutdown deadlines.
The agreement is largely in line with the caps set in the debt limit deal then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) struck with President Biden last year:
- The deal includes a $1.59 trillion top line, plus roughly $69 billion in budget tweaks to increase nondefense dollars for most of fiscal 2024.
- It also includes an additional $10 billion in cuts to IRS mandatory funding and a $6.1 billion clawback of unspent COVID-19 funds.
“We’re making a statement that what the deal, as has been announced … is unacceptable,” Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), the newly minted chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters.
Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Good, Chip Roy (Texas), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Anna Paulina Luna (Fla.), Matt Rosendale (Mont.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Scott Perry (Pa.), Eric Burlison (Mo.) and Andy Ogles (Tenn.) opposed the procedural vote.
Votes on rules — which outline parameters for debate — are typically mundane efforts, with the majority party supporting the vote and the minority party opposing it.
But conservatives this Congress have utilized the tactic of torpedoing rules to showcase their frustration with leadership decisions.
The Hill’s Mychael Schnell has more here.
