House Republicans upset over Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) deal with President Joe Biden over the debt ceiling expressed their frustration this week. House Freedom Caucus members voiced displeasure with the deal on Tuesday, and one threatened to take the protest a step further.
Further as in making a motion to vacate the chair.
Instead of this action, however, conservatives moved to stop a measure to protect gas stoves.
Roughly a dozen House Republicans sided with Democrats and blocked the advancement of rules on the issue. In a 220-206 tally, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act and Save Our Stoves Act were at least temporarily derailed.
It was the first time such a procedural vote did not pass in almost two decades.
The move was clearly unexpected, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) found himself listening to protests from several Republicans.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) made the reason for switching sides clear. “Today, we took down the rule because we’re frustrated at the way this place is operating.”
House Conservatives Launch “Extraordinary Rebellion” Against Kevin McCarthy on House Floor Over Debt Deal Anger and Derail Key Leadership Priority – Leadership Threatened to Sink GOP Debt Ceiling Opponent’s Bill to Stop Biden Gun Ban via @gatewaypundit https://t.co/cbvWmMW6NX
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) June 6, 2023
He referred to the deal that gave McCarthy the Speaker’s gavel in January as an effort to dispel “imperial speakership.” Gaetz added that some are concerned with the perceived violation of “fundamental commitments made with the debt ceiling agreement.
At issue is McCarthy’s slim four-seat majority and the need to keep all House GOP members on board to accomplish Republican goals.
One representative, Patrick McHenry (R-SC) downplayed the spat as a normal outburst. “We’re trying to resolve internal tensions within the House Republicans. And from time to time you have to have an airing within your family, and I think that’s part of what happened today.”
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) asserted the protest was over several factors. He said he and his conservative colleagues wanted “what we insisted [on] in January: truthfulness, sincere cuts and putting economic security on the floor.”
The debt ceiling deal was agreed upon with bipartisan support last week, despite objections from some Republicans that not enough cuts and too much spending had been allowed.
Still, it went to the Senate where it also passed convincingly before Biden signed it into law Saturday.
