16 Hours Ago by Tim Brown

House Majority Whip: We Can Pass Gun Control & Immigration Without Republican Support

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For anyone paying attention in the Republican Party, you should be outraged at the alleged “leadership” in the House. John Boehner’s leadership has been questionable for some time now. Somehow he survived and was re-elected to Speaker of the 113th Congress. But there is rebellion brewing against him. Now The GOP leadership is reaching across the aisle to Democrats for support in light of 16 House Republicans who are set to vote against a Republican leadership-crafted closed rule on a government funding bill. However, what should be alarming is that the House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy said he is open to ramming through bills on issues like gun control and immigration without the support of his Republican colleagues.

The rule in question was to limit amendments to the government funding bill. However, because Boehner and his posse refused to consider a vote on the amendment that would defund Obamacare, conservatives bucked Boehner on his rule.

“I think that is something being discussed on a case by case basis,” said Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), one of the 16 no votes on the rule.

Republicans can afford to lose 15 to 17 votes on the rule.

The Hill reports,
Several conservatives switched their positions on the rule under pressure from interest groups that on Wednesday morning announced they intended to score votes on the rule.

Freedom Works, for example, was livid that GOP leaders refused to allow a floor vote on an amendment to defund the implementation of President Obama’s healthcare law.
The conservative group sent out an action alert to its members on Wednesday under the heading “Demand Boehner Defund Obamacare.”

Several of the seven lawmakers who supported passage of the bill but opposed the rule vote cited the Obamacare exclusion in explaining their votes.

“Rep. (John) Fleming (R-LA) believes, as he stated in a letter to leadership last week, that the CR [continuing resolution] was a prime opportunity to move conscience legislation that would restore protections stripped away by Obamacare,” Fleming spokesman Doug Sachtleben said.

“The closed rule, that he opposed, served as a barrier to amending the CR with that important legislation,” Sachtleben added.

Along with Fleming and Huelskamp, and Reps. Steve Pearce (R-NM), Mo Brooks (AL), Walter Jones (NC), Dana Rohrabacher (CA) and Ted Yoho (FL) voted against the rule but for the funding bill.

In another report by The Hill that dealt with statements by House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA):

Asked on CNN Sunday if more breaches of the Hastert rule on topics including gun control and immigration reform are possible if bills come over from the Senate, McCarthy didn’t answer the question directly, pointing to Boehner’s comments earlier in the week.

“The speaker says he wants to, if you listen to his press conference the other day, he will pass bills that the House passes,” said McCarthy on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He’ll pass bills that the Republicans are moving forward.”

The House in recent months broke the Hastert rule three times in passing bills to avoid the “fiscal cliff” by raising tax rates on some earners, Hurricane Sandy relief, and the Violence Against Women Act.

McCarthy believes that “It is better if the House does their work. We should be sending bills to the Senate.”

McCarthy went on to say, “I would not underestimate the House’s ability to pass an immigration bill. I think we have plenty of ideas on that and I think that we can move the ball as well.”

CNN’s Candy Crowley pointed out that McCarthy would not give her a straight answer on whether he would uphold the Hastert rule.

Boehner continues to face criticism of passing Democrat-backed legislation and he has never endorsed the Hastert rule, saying that he would only bring bills to the floor that were backed by a “majority of the majority.”

Ben Shapiro remarks, “This is a declaration of war within the Republican ranks. And it should be deeply troubling to Republicans across the country, watching as the recently and controversially reminted House leadership continues to pursue the same political philosophy that led to a mini-rebellion in the House in January.”

There’s trouble brewing for House leadership and it’s a good thing to call them out and hold them accountable to what they are there to do. This took place back in January, but House leadership was stubborn and didn’t listen and look where that got us? More taxes. It’s good that these representatives are standing up against a weak and spineless leadership that just wants to be led by the nose by the Democrats and the Obama administration. After all, one has to ask whose side those in leadership in the House are on.

Read more: GOP Leaders: We'll Pass Gun Control & Immigration