Strife within the House Republican conference is once again on public display, derailing Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) plans to pass three major pieces of legislation this week.
The House Rules Committee was set to meet at 8 a.m. after having to reschedule its meeting Monday night to consider a rule for an extension of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the farm bill, and a party-line budget resolution to fund parts of the Department of Homeland Security.
But the committee was forced to postpone its meeting as internal strife over FISA, immigration enforcement funding, and provisions in the farm bill derailed consideration of a rule.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), a member of the rules panel, told reporters on Monday that he had issues with all three pieces of legislation. Roy’s concerns include language in the farm bill that would block states and local governments from requiring warning labels on pesticides beyond what the Environmental Protection Agency approves, which conservatives argue would impede states’ rights.
Roy also said he had issues with isolating Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol in the party-line reconciliation plan, and still wants a ban on central bank digital currency in the FISA program extension.
“So there’s a lot of things, though, that need to be addressed,” Roy said. “And I don’t know, I’m not saying all — I’m just saying I got three different issues, all of which still need to be addressed.”
HOUSE LAWMAKERS TO WATCH AS GOP LEADERSHIP TRIES TO PASS FISA EXTENSION
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) threatened that she and other Republican holdouts would “slaughter” the farm bill if the provisions are not stripped from the legislation.
The House floor is frozen until the House Rules Committee passes the rule out of committee, and with King Charles III slated to arrive on Capitol Hill Tuesday afternoon to meet with the speaker and GOP leadership, there will be limited time for Johnson to strike a deal with holdouts.