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The slim House GOP majority scored its first big win Monday, passing a set of rules that make significant changes to the way the chamber operates and which let Republicans take aim at reckless government spending.
New rules pushed by the most fiscally conservative House lawmakers will make it easier to pass bills that reduce federal spending and more difficult to raise the nation’s borrowing limit or increase the tax rate.
“We ran on an agenda to change the way that Washington works, to fix this broken system to get our country back on track, and we were awarded the majority by the people across this country,” said Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican. “Today starts that process of fixing what’s broken in Washington, so that Washington can finally start working for the people of this country who are struggling.”
The new rules package makes a key change to the GOP’s internal accountability by reinstating a centuries-old provision allowing one lawmaker to bring up a vote to eject the House speaker.
A group of 20 conservatives insisted on adding back that provision, and the other new rules, in exchange for their support for Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, whom they blocked from winning the gavel for more than four days last week.
That group wants an opportunity to toss out Mr. McCarthy if he’s not advancing conservative principles, especially when it comes to spending.
