House Republicans this week face debates over three controversial pieces of make-or-break legislation: an attempt to extend government spy powers that expire Thursday, a farm bill that could have a major impact on the midterms and a budget resolution that would reopen the Department of Homeland Security. But after weeks and in some cases months of bitter argument, reports Politico, “House Republican leadership doesn’t appear to have the votes to advance anything.”
Perhaps the most contention has been over FISA, a key provision of which allows the government to collect the communications of foreign targets without a warrant, which critics say opens up U.S. citizens to “backdoor” warrantless surveillance. Enough House Republicans oppose it that Senate Majority Leader Jim Thune (R-SD) has warned that it’s “dead on arrival.”
“Our team has spent too much time with approximately 10 of our members who want compromises the other 210 don’t want,” Representative Don Bacon (R-NE) complained. “This is dysfunction.”
If the House does manage to pass the proposed three-year FISA extension, Republican Senators warn that it won’t survive the other chamber. “I don’t think we have the votes in the Senate,” said Senator John Kennedy (R-LA). And Senate Republicans are outright opposed to one aspect demanded by some of their colleagues in the House that would place a ban on central banking digital currency. “That’s not happening,” said Thune.
Then there’s the farm bill. While many Republicans initially opposed it due to the protections it offered to pesticide manufacturers — which drew the ire of the party’s MAHA wing — now the fight is over language that allows the year-round sale of controversial E15 gasoline, which some argue is damaging to engines. Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) explained that the “E15 crap” is a problem for GOP hardliners, and Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) says she’ll vote against it.
Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Mike Johnson (R-LA) has been holding closed-door meetings to press members to accept a DHS funding package that was narrowly approved in the Senate. But some House conservatives have expressed a desire to hold out for a more expansive bill, such as Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-MO), who says, “I’m just listening to all the conversations,” but won’t reveal how he intends to vote.
With the end of “hell week” fast approaching, it appears that House Republicans will achieve none of their goals.