House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Washington, Jan. 9, 2023. JOSE LUIS MAGANA/AP
California civil servant-elect Kevin McCarthy passed his first test as speaker of the United States House of Representatives on Monday, January 9, easily passing the regulations of the lower house of the American House of Representatives, which he laboriously snagged the presidency on January 6.
Only one elected Republican defected, a remarkable result as the party tore itself up last week. Indeed, for four days a handful of elected Trumpists had blocked the ascension to the throne of Kevin McCarthy, who was finally elected on the fifteenth ballot and in an electrified atmosphere, an unprecedented scenario in more than 160 years.
The elected official tweeted that he welcomed the adoption of rules that “encourage elected officials to debate, increase transparency and reopen Congress to the people.”
Congress has long been adjourned. Over the years there has been a concentration of power within the speaker’s office… https://t.co/sWh79Kv0U9
But his fellow Democrats noted that he had made big concessions to the slingers to bring them back into line. “I worry about the deals being made behind the scenes,” said lawmaker Jim McGovern. “These rules do not represent a serious attempt at government, but a ransom demand on America from the far right,” he added.
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Moderate Republican lawmakers voiced the same criticism over the weekend. “We have no idea of the promises that have been made and my heart ache,” said elect Nancy Mace, who voted with the majority despite her reservations.
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The new rules require elected officials to be present to vote on legislation, contrary to a measure passed during the pandemic. It also authorizes only one out of five to table a motion of no-confidence against the speaker.
Then it provides for the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the “instrumentalization” of the Justice Department by the Democrats in order to discredit the investigation into former President Donald Trump.
Jim McGovern, elected Democrat, quickly positioned himself as opposed to the actions of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. In Wash., Dec. 21, 2022. J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP
Finally, the project includes actions “to solve our problem of runaway debt,” said Oklahoma official-elect Tom Cole. Specifically, it requires that any new spending be funded by a cut elsewhere in the budget and plans to eliminate $72 billion allocated to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The White House has said President Joe Biden would veto the latter proposal outright, on the grounds that it would create a $115 billion deficit by “allowing wealthy scammers to evade taxes.”
Defense budget cuts
According to the American media, Kevin McCarthy has made further commitments that will manifest themselves in particular in the votes on the debt ceiling. In particular, he would have agreed to freeze the budget for ten years and cut military spending by 10%.
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“There has been a proposal to cut billions of dollars in the defense budget, I think that’s a terrible idea,” Republican-elect Tony Gonzales, who finally aligned himself with Democrats on Monday, commented on Sunday.
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“With Russian aggression in Ukraine, the growing Chinese threat in the Pacific (…) how will we be able to look our allies in the eye and ask them to increase their military budgets when America is cutting theirs? “, he explained.
Especially since these cuts could put a strain on aid in Kyiv. “Everything is on the table,” admitted Jim Jordan, a staunch lieutenant to former President Donald Trump, echoing Kevin McCarthy. Frankly, we have to look at the money being sent to Ukraine and ask ourselves if there isn’t a better way to protect America. »
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But the reach of these measures is largely symbolic: legislation passed in the House of Representatives has no chance of being passed in the Senate, which Democrats retain control of. Republicans will therefore have the ability to disrupt primarily through their power to investigate or block bills introduced by the Joe Biden administration.