Republican lawmakers slammed the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> on Wednesday over a “weaponized” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-justice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justice Department</a> after four more Christian pro-lifers face prison time after they were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/four-pro-lifers-face-prison-time-after-being-convicted-in-federal-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted</a> of FACE-Act related charges on Tuesday.
The four, Eva Edl, Eva Zastrow, James Zastrow, and Paul Place, face up to six months in prison and a $10,000 fine after they were found guilty of violating the FACE Act by Middle District of Tennessee Magistrate Judge Chip Frensly. Critics say that the FACE Act, a Clinton-era law that criminalizes the use of force or threats of force that prevent someone from accessing an abortion facility, has been used to target pro-lifers.
In the aftermath of the convictions, some lawmakers again renewed calls for repeal of the FACE Act, saying that it had been weaponized.
“Biden&#8217;s DOJ is weaponized against pro-life demonstrators,” Rep Andy Biggs (R-AZ) said, commenting on the Tuesday trial. “This is not acceptable. Congress must repeal the FACE Act.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Biden&#39;s DOJ is weaponized against pro-life demonstrators.
This is not acceptable.
Congress must repeal the FACE Act.<a href="https://t.co/AOhLu4Tyb4">https://t.co/AOhLu4Tyb4</a>
&mdash; Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1775524854411727042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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“I am a proud cosponsor of [Rep. Chip Roy&#8217;]s FACE Act Repeal Act of 2023,” Biggs <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1775524855590330502" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. “Let&#8217;s get it done.”
Roy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-call-for-repeal-of-weaponized-face-act-after-conviction-of-peaceful-pro-lifers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> a bill in the House last year that would repeal the FACE Act and a companion bill was put forth in the Senate by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT). Roy again <a href="https://twitter.com/RepChipRoy/status/1775499543003463931" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged</a> Congress to take up his measure on Wednesday, saying that Congress should pass it “immediately.”
Edl, Place, and the Zastrows (brother and sister) were charged by the DOJ after they participated in a sit-in at the Carafem abortion facility in Mt Juliet, Tennessee, on March 5, 2021. On that day, a group of demonstrators gathered on the second floor of an office building in the hallway outside Carafem. The group prayed, sang hymns, and urged women showing up to the clinic to not get abortions.
Photos were displayed at the trial showing the four sitting in front of the door to Carafem, but the defendants&#8217; lawyers argued that the DOJ never proved they had actually blocked anyone from entering or actually inhibited the activities of the staff of the facility.
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Responding to the news of the convictions on Tuesday, Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) blasted the Biden administration for its targeting of pro-life activists.
“More than 5,000 illegals enter our country every day and the Biden Administration has no idea where they are,” he posted on X. “If you’re a pro-life activist, Biden’s DOJ definitely knows where you are.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
More than 5,000 illegals enter our country every day and the Biden Administration has no idea where they are. 
If you’re a pro-life activist, Biden’s DOJ definitely knows where you are. <a href="https://t.co/pEcEtuF7xv">https://t.co/pEcEtuF7xv</a>
&mdash; Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepBarryMoore/status/1775531658453676301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) also slammed Biden over the prosecution of the pro-lifers.
“Biden&#8217;s DOJ is prosecuting Christians for peacefully praying outside abortion clinics, which is their First Amendment right,” she wrote. “Meanwhile, 10 million illegal aliens walked into our country, including known terrorist &#8216;gotaways&#8217; &amp; Biden&#8217;s DOJ has no idea where they are. AMERICA LAST!”
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Biden&#39;s DOJ is prosecuting Christians for peacefully praying outside abortion clinics, which is their First Amendment right. Meanwhile, 10 million illegal aliens walked into our country, including known terrorist &quot;gotaways&quot; &amp; Biden&#39;s DOJ has no idea where they are. AMERICA LAST! <a href="https://t.co/KJv920JTik">https://t.co/KJv920JTik</a>
&mdash; Rep. Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMaryMiller/status/1775526614048088128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), a member of the House Oversight Committee, called the whole thing “gross.”
“Instead of securing the border and protecting Americans, Joe Biden is going after Pro-Lifers &#8211; gross,” Burlison said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Instead of securing the border and protecting Americans, Joe Biden is going after Pro-Lifers &#8211; gross. <a href="https://t.co/3ezrAyjetc">https://t.co/3ezrAyjetc</a>
&mdash; Rep. Eric Burlison (@RepEricBurlison) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepEricBurlison/status/1775538503335485589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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 In January, six other pro-lifers who were at Carafem in March 2021 were convicted of similar charges and could be sentenced to over 10 years in prison and leveled hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fines.

President Biden Speaks On Lowering Health Care Costs

‘Gross’: Lawmakers Slam Biden Administration Over Convictions Of Pro-Life Activists

Andy Biggs

Biden Administration

Chip Roy

Courts

Department of Justice

Nashville

Pro-Life Movement

Tennessee

U.S.

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pentagon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pentagon</a> has failed to pass its annual financial audit for the sixth consecutive year, prompting conservative lawmakers to call for consequences for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Defense</a>. 
The Pentagon, which has $3.8 trillion in assets alongside $4 trillion in liabilities, <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2023/11/16/pentagon-fails-sixth-audit-with-number-of-passing-grades-stagnant/?utm_campaign=dfn-ebb&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=sailthr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only had</a> seven of 30 sub-audits rated clean by auditors, Defense News reported. Eighteen sub-audits failed, three are still taking place, and one was “qualified,” according to Comptroller Mike McCord.
The news comes after the U.S. sent billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-failed-to-track-all-military-aid-to-ukraine-as-criminal-gangs-stole-guns-ammo-from-frontlines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official reports</a> that the DoD had not been able to track all of the weapons and military equipment it had sent to the country. 
“It’s not enough,” McCord said of the Pentagon fixing some issues flagged by the previous year&#8217;s audit. “The secretary [of defense] feels that we need to be doing better at this and moving faster.”
McCord said the Pentagon needed to work closer with the Treasury Department to make sure they were on the same page and that they needed to use automation to optimize the process. 
The comptroller added that there was just under $5 billion worth of U.S. supplies that could be sent to Ukraine. A Pentagon<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pentagon-accounting-error-gives-extra-6-2-billion-in-aid-to-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> accounting error</a> earlier this year gave the DoD another $6.2 billion in aid to give to Ukraine.
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine began, Congress has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/21/politics/war-funding-ukraine-what-matters/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> $113 billion for Ukraine, with much of that coming in the form of military aid. 
Lawmakers are also planning on sending billions in military aid to Israel amid its war with Hamas but the House and Senate have yet to both approve any aid packages including funding for Israel. 
“The running room we have to actually help Israel is much more constrained [than it is for Ukraine] because we don’t have any action by Congress yet,” McCord said.
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With news of the failed audit, Republicans slammed the Pentagon, calling for more accountability. 
“The Pentagon has failed its sixth straight audit. $3.8 trillion vanished into thin air. Any other organization would face consequences,” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1725251664163283087" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. 
“DOD’s inability to adequately track assets risks our military readiness and represents a flagrant disregard for taxpayer funds, even as it receives nearly a trillion dollars annually,” the House Oversight Committee <a href="https://twitter.com/GOPoversight/status/1725173220028846303" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
“The recent failure of the Pentagon&#8217;s 6TH audit couldn&#8217;t make it clearer that we need accountability &amp; transparency. It&#8217;s time to independently [audit the Pentagon]. No institution is above scrutiny, especially the DoD w/ the largest budget of ANY fed agency,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) <a href="https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/1725185838139445494" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.  
The Center for Renewing America, a conservative policy organization, pointed to the leftist tilt of the military bureaucracy <a href="https://twitter.com/amrenewctr/status/1725205005467111586" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, “Our bureaucratic government agencies are as incompetent as they are WOKE &amp; WEAPONIZED!”

Pentagon Building As Senators Warn Of Broken Classification System After Major Leak

‘Flagrant Disregard For Taxpayer Funds’: Pentagon Fails Sixth Consecutive Audit

Department of Defense

Hamas

Israel

Military

Pentagon

Politics

Rand Paul

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

House Republicans are demanding the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI</a> cease stonewalling lawmakers seeking information about its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a> pipe bomb investigation.
The group, led by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday, saying he has &#8220;failed&#8221; to adequately comply with requests for a briefing and must make amends.
A suspect, seen in surveillance video only as a hooded figure carrying a backpack, has yet to be publicly identified more than two years after federal authorities say a pair of pipe bombs were planted outside the Republican National Committee’s and Democratic National Committee’s offices in Washington, D.C., on the evening of January 5, 2021, the night before the Capitol riot on January 6.
The FBI told The Daily Wire on Thursday that its investigation is &#8220;continuing and it’s one we take very seriously.&#8221; A reward for information was increased to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reward-for-info-on-dnc-rnc-pipe-bomber-jumps-to-500000-as-investigation-nears-two-year-mark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$500,000 in January</a>, and the bureau continues to encourage members of the public who may have information to reach out.
&#8220;Although these bombs did not detonate, it is important to remember the suspect walked along residential and commercial areas in Capitol Hill just blocks from the U.S. Capitol with viable pipe bombs that could have seriously injured or killed innocent bystanders,&#8221; the FBI says in its <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/washingtondc/news/fbi-washington-field-office-atf-washington-field-division-and-metropolitan-police-department-raise-reward-for-information-about-capitol-hill-pipe-bomber-to-500000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online bulletin</a>. &#8220;Moreover, the suspect may still pose a danger to the public or themselves.&#8221;
Jordan, who was joined by Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Bill Posey (R-FL) <a href="https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2023-05-24-jdj-ab-bp-to-wray-fbi-re-pipe-bomb-investigation.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in co-signing the letter</a>, explained that the unfulfilled congressional requests stem from a whistleblower disclosure about a D.C.-based effort to get FBI field offices around the country to canvass all confidential human sources for information about the suspect.
They raised concerns stemming from <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/may/24/lawmakers-demand-fbi-explain-slow-pace-investigati/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a Washington Times report</a> which cited a former FBI official who claimed technicians determined the found devices were inoperable and the bureau was able to link the suspected bomber to a D.C. MetroRail SmarTrip card and the license plate of a car the individual entered, as seen in security camera footage from a Northern Virginia Metro stop.
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“The slow progression of the FBI’s investigation into the January 6 pipe bombs raises significant concerns about the FBI’s prioritization of that case in relation to other January 6 investigations,&#8221; the lawmakers wrote in their letter. &#8220;Accordingly, we reiterate our outstanding requests for a briefing on the status of the pipe bomb investigation and request that you provide this briefing as soon as possible, but no later than June 7, 2023.&#8221;
An FBI spokesperson told The Daily Wire that the bureau received the congressional letter but did not further comment on its contents.

FBI Director Christopher Wray

GOP Lawmakers Demand FBI Share Findings In D.C. Pipe Bomb Probe

Christopher Wray

Congress

January 6

Jim Jordan

Washington D.C.

Speaker of the House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-mccarthy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin McCarthy</a> (R-CA) earned high praise from two members of his caucus who held up his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-kevin-mccarthy-elected-next-speaker-of-the-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bid to become Speaker</a>.
Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz (FL) and Andy Biggs (AZ) praised McCarthy&#8217;s tenure as Speaker so far. Their comments are especially noteworthy, considering the source: Gaetz was one of the most vociferous opponents of McCarthy&#8217;s bid for the Speakership, and one of the final six holdouts who voted present during the 15th ballot; Biggs mounted his own bid for Speakership to contest McCarthy.
“I’d give him an ‘A,’” Gaetz told CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju, according to a tweet from the reporter. “I don&#8217;t give it lightly. I think he&#8217;s done a good job.”
“I think he&#8217;s doing better than expected,” Biggs added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. Matt Gaetz, a one-time fierce critic of McCarthy’s, praised his job performance so far. “I’d give him an ‘A,’” he told me. “I don&#8217;t give it lightly. I think he&#8217;s done a good job.” 
Andy Biggs, who ran against McCarthy: “I think he&#8217;s doing better than expected,” he said
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) <a href="https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1651705329728516096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">April 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
The praise from the two members comes just one day after both members <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/four-gop-holdouts-explain-why-they-voted-against-mccarthy-championed-debt-ceiling-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted against</a> McCarthy&#8217;s plan to temporarily raise the debt ceiling. Gaetz and Biggs joined Reps. Tim Burchett (R-TN) and Ken Buck (R-CO) in voting against the &#8220;Limit, Save Grow Act of 2023,&#8221; which would suspend the debt limit until it rises by $1.5 trillion or until March 31, 2024 — <a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/whats-limit-save-grow-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whichever comes first</a> — in exchange for a host of spending cuts.
“As our nation is careening into a $32 trillion debt, Congress shouldn’t be making final changes at 2 a.m. — the morning of the vote — to legislation raising the debt limit $1.5 trillion,” Gaetz&#8217;s office said in a statement.
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“While I applaud the work of my Republican colleagues to demand better energy policy, regulatory reform, welfare-to-work requirements and less spending, a troubling fact remains. This plan will increase America’s debt by $16 trillion over the next ten years,” he added. “Gaslighting nearly $50 trillion in debt to America is something my [conscience] cannot abide at this time.”
Biggs faulted the legislation for not reducing the national debt and failing to be more “aggressive” in spending. He said federal spending should at the very least be returned to fiscal year 2019, pre-COVID pandemic levels — as opposed to 2022 levels outlined in the bill.
“Our national debt is a top national security threat. I have never voted to raise the debt ceiling in my time in Congress – even while President Trump was in the Oval Office — and didn’t today for the same reasons,” Biggs said in a statement. “We owe the American people and our future generations sound and responsible fiscal policy. Increasing the national debt to ‘only’ $47 trillion over ten years — an increase of over $14 trillion from today — is misguided and perpetuates Washington’s spending problem.”
Despite some opposition from within his own party, McCarthy has gained support for his debt ceiling plan from the other side of the aisle. Moderate Senator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-deficiency-of-leadership-manchin-calls-out-biden-for-not-negotiating-with-republicans-on-debt-limit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Manchin</a> (D-WV) recently called on the Biden administration to negotiate with McCarthy.
“America is facing a historic economic crisis brought on by an abject failure to address our exploding national debt, chronic inflation, a looming recession, and the more immediate need to raise the debt ceiling,&#8221; Manchin said in a statement last week. &#8220;Our elected leaders must stop with the political games, work together and negotiate a compromise. Instead, it has been more than 78 days since President Biden last met with Speaker McCarthy. This signals a deficiency of leadership, and it must change. The fact is we are long past time for our elected leaders to sit down and discuss how to solve this impending debt ceiling crisis.”

Vote For Speaker Of The House Stretches Into Fourth Day

‘I’d Give Him An ‘A”: McCarthy Earns High Praise For His Tenure So Far From Republicans Who Opposed His Speakership

McCarthy Earns High Praise For His Tenure So Far From Republicans Who Opposed His Speakership

Debt Ceiling

House Speaker

Kevin McCarthy

Matt Gaetz

The four House Republicans who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-led-house-passes-mccarthys-plan-to-raise-debt-limit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> against GOP leadership&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-scoff-as-mccarthy-calls-out-biden-for-halting-debt-limit-negotiations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">debt ceiling</a> <a href="https://www.speaker.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/LSGA_xml.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plan</a> are speaking out about why they oppose the bill touted by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as the United States faces the possibility of an unprecedented default on its obligations this summer.
Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Tim Burchett (R-TN), and Ken Buck (R-CO) joined the vast majority of Democrats in opposing the legislation that would suspend the debt limit until it rises by $1.5 trillion or until March 31, 2024 — <a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/whats-limit-save-grow-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whichever comes first</a> — in exchange for a host of spending cuts. The final <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023199" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tally</a> showed 217 voted in favor and 215 voted against the &#8220;Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023.&#8221; Three members, including one Republican and two Democrats, did not vote.
Gaetz&#8217;s office put out a <a href="https://gaetz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gaetz-issues-statement-response-house-debt-ceiling-vote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that said the four-term congressman has &#8220;consistently&#8221; voted against raising the debt ceiling and advocated in favor of tightened <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3972200-house-gop-leaders-blink-and-make-last-minute-changes-to-debt-limit-bill-amid-opposition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">work requirements</a> for social safety net programs.
“As our nation is careening into a $32 trillion debt, Congress shouldn&#8217;t be making final changes at 2 a.m. — the morning of the vote — to legislation raising the debt limit $1.5 trillion,&#8221; Gaetz said, alluding to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/26/house-republicans-amend-debt-limit-bill-00093872" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concessions made in the last 24 hours</a>.
&#8220;While I applaud the work of my Republican colleagues to demand better energy policy, regulatory reform, welfare-to-work requirements and less spending, a troubling fact remains. This plan will increase America’s debt by $16 trillion over the next ten years,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Gaslighting nearly $50 trillion in debt to America is something my conscious cannot abide at this time.&#8221;
Biggs, who unsuccessfully <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/12/06/andy-biggs-mccarthy-house-speaker#:~:text=Andy%20Biggs%20(R%2DAriz.)%2C%20the%20former%20chair,for%20speaker%20of%20the%20House." target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenged</a> McCarthy to become House speaker, faulted the legislation for not reducing the national debt and failing to be more &#8220;aggressive&#8221; in spending. He said federal spending should at the very least be returned to fiscal year 2019, pre-COVID pandemic levels — as opposed to 2022 levels outlined in the bill.
“Our national debt is a top national security threat. I have never voted to raise the debt ceiling in my time in Congress – even while President Trump was in the Oval Office – and didn’t today for the same reasons,&#8221; Biggs said in a <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-releases-statement-house-leaderships-paltry-debt-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “We owe the American people and our future generations sound and responsible fiscal policy. Increasing the national debt to &#8216;only&#8217; $47 trillion over ten years – an increase of over $14 trillion from today – is misguided and perpetuates Washington’s spending problem.&#8221;
Burchett touted how he has never voted to raise the debt limit, &#8220;no matter who was in charge&#8221; — a nod to a common line of attack from Democrats who criticize Republicans for attaching conditions to a debt ceiling increase when they voted in favor of a &#8220;clean&#8221; bill when former President Donald Trump was in office.
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&#8220;Our country is nearly $32 trillion in debt right now. That’s a debt neither we, nor our kids or grandkids can pay,” Burchett added in a <a href="https://burchett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-burchett-votes-against-bill-raise-debt-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “We need to do whatever is necessary to get back to a balanced budget and meaningful debt reduction so this issue doesn’t keep coming back to haunt us.”
In his <a href="https://twitter.com/RepKenBuck/status/1651356026250092546" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, Buck referenced how the Congressional Budget Office <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3971403-gop-debt-ceiling-bill-would-save-about-4-8-trillion-over-10-years-cbo-estimate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projected</a> the proposal would slash federal deficits by $4.8 trillion over 10 years, saying that would still leave the United States with $53 trillion debt during that time period.
&#8220;Republicans must distinguish ourselves from Democrats by taking a stand against out-of-control spending and reversing course before it&#8217;s too late,&#8221; Buck said.
Although the bill passed the House, it faces long odds as it heads to the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats. The White House and its allies have been pushing for a <a href="https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1649091080196096001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;clean&#8221;</a> debt ceiling bill separate from any spending cuts or any policy concessions.
During a press conference after the vote, McCarthy dared Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to put an alternative debt ceiling plan to a vote, noting the two chambers could go to conference if it passed, and the speaker challenged President Joe Biden to agree to talks. &#8220;Now, the president can no longer put this economy in jeopardy,&#8221; McCarthy said.

Four GOP Holdouts Explain Why They Voted Against McCarthy-Championed Debt Ceiling Bill

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) reintroduced multiple bills to &#8220;address COVID overreach on Americans.&#8221;
Biggs shared an update in a press release on Monday.
“Now with a Republican majority in the House, we have a better opportunity to pass legislation that reverses COVID vaccine and mask mandate policies set by fanatics who seek to maintain control over Americans,” Biggs <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-reintroduces-group-bills-address-covid-overreach-americans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
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Now with a Republican majority in the House, we have a better opportunity to pass legislation that reverses COVID vaccine and mask mandate policies set by fanatics who seek to maintain control over Americans.
&mdash; Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1617530861632761860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“These power-hungry individuals are rejecting science. COVID cases and deaths remain low. Normal life has returned,&#8221; he added. “Most importantly, individuals should be making their own COVID and healthcare choices—not tyrannical government officials. All types of COVID-related mandates have got to go and these pieces of legislation help us get there.”
The push includes six pieces of legislation. The first bill, H.R. 125, seeks to repeal mask mandates on public transportation. Biggs first <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-introduces-companion-legislation-repeal-mask-mandates-public" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> the proposal in July 2021, and it was co-sponsored by seven other GOP congressmen.
The second bill, H.R. 118, the <a href="http://biggs.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/biggs.house.gov/files/No%20Vaccine%20Passports%20Act.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No Vaccine Passports Act</a>, would prohibit the federal government from issuing any standardized documentation that could be used to certify a U.S. citizen&#8217;s COVID status to a third party, such as an airline. First introduced in April 2021, the bill would also ban proof of COVID vaccination as a requirement to access federal or congressional property or services.
A third bill, H.R. 119, the Freedom from Mandates Act, would ban federal vaccine mandates.
&#8220;The American people must be allowed to make their own health care decisions,&#8221; Biggs <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-introduces-freedom-mandates-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> when he co-sponsored the bill in September 2021. &#8220;It is their right.”
The fourth bill, <a href="https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hr117/BILLS-118hr117ih.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">H.R. 117</a>, would &#8220;prohibit any entity that receives Federal funds from the COVID relief packages from mandating employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine.&#8221;
A fifth bill, <a href="https://iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=AZ05AB&amp;crop=0000.0000.0000.0000&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.congress.gov%2f118%2fbills%2fhr103%2fBILLS-118hr103ih.pdf&amp;redir_log=921826728817386" target="_blank" rel="noopener">H.R. 103</a>, would prohibit the secretary of transportation from setting a requirement that air carriers and foreign air carriers mandate an individual test negative for COVID to travel on an airline carrier.
The final bill, the No Mandates Act, <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/biggs.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/no-mandates-act_01_23.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a>, &#8220;No agency may issue any rule regulations, or guidance requiring any individual to receive a vaccination for COVID-19.&#8221;
Biggs was recently one of 20 GOP <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-20-house-republicans-who-demanded-change-and-won-are-seen-as-heroes-not-holdouts-to-many" target="_blank" rel="noopener">holdouts</a> who sought to block Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from becoming House speaker. The Arizona congressman briefly sought the role himself, with McCarthy later winning in a 15th round of voting.
The Arizona Republican has been rumored as a potential Senate candidate in 2024. If he were to be the top GOP candidate, he would likely face independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3826309-gallego-announces-campaign-for-sinema-senate-seat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently announced</a> Democratic candidate Rep. Ruben Gallegos.

GOP Rep. Andy Biggs Reintroduces Multiple Bills To ‘Address COVID Overreach’

GOP Rep. Andy Biggs Reintroduces Multiple Bills To 'Address COVID Overreach'

COVID-19 Vaccine

More than a dozen Republican lawmakers rejected Rep. Kevin McCarthy&#8217;s (R-CA) bid for House Speaker during a floor vote Tuesday afternoon.
During the first round of voting, McCarthy secured 203 votes, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) received 212 votes, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) received 10 votes, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) received 6 votes, Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) received 1 vote, former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) received 1 vote, and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) received 1 vote.
The vote for speaker now goes to a second ballot, which last happened in 1923.
The Republicans who blocked McCarthy&#8217;s bid included Reps. Dan Bishop (NC), Lauren Boebert (CO), Josh Brecheen (OK), Mike Cloud (TX), Andrew Clyde (GA), Eli Crane (AZ), Matt Gaetz (FL), Bob Good (VA), Paul Gosar (AZ), Andy Harris (MD), Anna Paulina Luna (FL), Mary Miller (IL), Ralph Norman (SC), Andy Ogles (TN), Scott Perry (PA), Matt Rosendale (MT), Chip Roy (TX), Keith Self (TX), and Biggs.
Sources close to former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> and the House Freedom Caucus <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-world-hammers-the-12-republicans-resisting-mccarthy-has-potential-to-damage-the-entire-party">told</a> The Daily Wire last month that the Republicans resisting McCarthy&#8217;s bid risk doing serious damage to the party at a critical moment in American history.
&#8220;Too many career politicians have used the America First movement as a springboard to &#8216;Me First,’” said a senior Trump World official. &#8220;This entire effort isn&#8217;t about policy or principle, it&#8217;s about a small group of politicians wanting the limelight at the expense of the movement.&#8221;
A former senior Trump White House official close to the Freedom Caucus told The Daily Wire that resisting McCarthy at this moment in time had the potential to damage the party moving forward.
&#8220;I hope the Freedom Caucus guys get concessions from McCarthy, but if they get what they want and still oppose him, then it will be clear that this never had anything to do with principle,&#8221; the source said. &#8220;If they take this circus to the House floor, it has the potential to damage the entire party at a time when we should united and laser focused on investigating the s*** out of the Biden Administration.&#8221;
A longtime conservative activist told The Daily Wire, &#8220;We all want House Leadership to be as conservative as possible, but after seeing Gaetz publicly float Steve Scalise as a potential Speaker, I now question whether this is really about principle or actually just about petty, personal grievances.&#8221;
&#8220;Scalise was the only member of House Leadership who refused to support Harriet Hageman against Liz Cheney, so how could any principled conservative want to see him as Speaker?&#8221; the activist question.
A source close to Mark Meadows and the Freedom Caucus said that the notion that any of the 12 Republican holdouts could become Speaker was sheer lunacy.
“Anyone who thinks House moderates would ever kowtow to Biggs and Gaetz and support a Speaker to the right of McCarthy is living in a fantasy land,&#8221; the source said. &#8220;The reality is that any alternative to McCarthy will end up being far worse for conservatives. McCarthy may not be perfect, but from elevating conservative rockstars like Jim Jordan to leadership positions to explicitly opposing any form of amnesty for illegals, he has proven himself to be a much stronger conservative than previous GOP leaders like Paul Ryan or John Boehner ever were. The Freedom Caucus lost its way the day that Mark Meadows left congress.”
This report has been updated to include additional information.

House And Senate Convene For The 118th Congress On Capitol Hill

19 Republicans Block Kevin McCarthy’s Bid For House Speaker

Hakeem Jeffries

If you&#8217;re a football fan, sorry, it&#8217;s Tuesday, and there&#8217;s no football.
But if you&#8217;re a fan of politics, you&#8217;re in luck — the 118th Congress opens today, and finally, Republicans will pick a speaker of the House.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), 57, served as the top Republican in the 117th Congress and should, by right, waltz right into the speakership. But since the midterm elections, two factions in the GOP have formed: &#8220;Only Kevin&#8221; and &#8220;Never Kevin.&#8221;
McCarthy will need 218 votes to wield the gavel, but there will be only 222 Republicans in the chamber, meaning he can lose just four GOP votes. Over the last few weeks, some Republicans have gone public with their opposition, which is highly unusual.
Five GOP lawmakers have already announced that they won&#8217;t vote for McCarthy. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) — who ran unsuccessfully against McCarthy for the speaker nomination last month — claims there are upwards of 20 members in the Never Kevin movement.
Should the five follow through and vote against McCarthy, the whole process will be thrown into turmoil.
Then there&#8217;s the Only Kevin group, which is much larger.
Dozens of GOP lawmakers, including Trump loyalists and moderates, say they will vote only for McCarthy, even if the vote goes multiple rounds. If that happens, it would &#8220;basically ensure no other Republican comes close to the gavel,&#8221; the Daily Beast <a href="https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedailybeast.com%2Frepublicans-play-chicken-with-kevin-mccarthys-speakership%3Fsource%3Darticles%26via%3Drss">reported</a> last week.
“The people that are supportive of Kevin, which are far more numerous than his critics, are dug in at least as deep as his critics are,” Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), a supporter of McCarthy, told the Beast.
&#8220;The pressure won’t be on them. It’s gonna be on the people that brought down the whole edifice &#8212; for what? For what purpose? What end?”
Should McCarthy falter and fail to win the speakership, here are four possible candidates who might be able to win the gavel.
<h2>Rep. Steve Scalise, 57</h2>
<div id="attachment_451046" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451046" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-451046 size-medium" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GettyImages-1243227286-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243227286-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243227286-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243227286-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243227286-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243227286-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243227286-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243227286-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images</div>
If McCarthy can&#8217;t win enough votes, Republicans might turn to the GOP&#8217;s No. 2 leader in the House, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA).
Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2022/12/21/zelenskyy-in-washington-scalise-in-waiting-00074931">reported</a> last month that a group of lawmakers has quietly approached Scalise about running for speaker if McCarthy comes up short. “Steve, just be ready,” one member currently backing McCarthy told the liberal political website.
Late last month, after it was clear Republicans had taken control of the House, Scalise ran unopposed for majority leader and won easily. The member said he &#8220;could be a good consensus leader if things don’t go well for Kevin.&#8221;
The situation is dicey. Scalise hasn&#8217;t openly run for the position because it&#8217;s dangerous to announce a challenge to the powerful McCarthy. If a lawmaker tries and fails, that member could well be punished for such temerity.
“If somebody were to come out now and we didn’t deliver enough votes to stop Mr. McCarthy, that there would be a real potential for blowback,” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) recently <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3769293-behind-the-scenes-hunt-builds-for-mccarthy-speaker-alternative/">told</a> The Hill. “They want to be very careful. So I think I think people are interested. They’ve expressed it to some of us … I think people are being wary.”
<h2>Rep. Jim Jordan, 58</h2>
<div id="attachment_159136" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-159136" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-159136" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Jim-Jordan-300x176.jpg" alt="UNITED STATES - AUGUST 24: Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, questions Postmaster General Louis DeJoy during the House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing titled “Protecting the Timely Delivery of Mail, Medicine, and Mail-in Ballots,” in Rayburn House Office Building on Monday, August 24, 2020. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Pool)" width="300" height="176" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/Jim-Jordan-300x176.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/Jim-Jordan-981x576.jpg 981w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/Jim-Jordan-768x451.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/Jim-Jordan.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Pool</div>
Amid the turmoil, a new name emerged late last month as a possible consensus candidate: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH).
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), one of the five lawmakers who oppose McCarthy, is urging Jordan to step in and seek the leadership post.
“All I want for Christmas is @Jim_Jordan to realize he should be Speaker of the House!” Gaetz tweeted on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, he doubled down with another tweet: “​Merry Christmas to all! Make sure to join me in encouraging​ ​@Jim_Jordan​ ​to seek the Speakership :)​.&#8221;
Gaetz has been vocal in his opposition to the California congressman, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3785046-matt-gaetz-criticizes-mccarthy-for-not-believing-in-anything/">writing</a> in a Daily Caller piece last week that McCarthy “does not actually believe anything. He has no ideology.”
“The McCarthy camp is spinning that Kevin must be accepted because ‘we have to avoid chaos.’ Chaos for who exactly? The special interests that are counting on McCarthy as their lapdog?” Gaetz wrote. &#8220;I’m worried about chaos in the lives of my constituents.”
Jordan has been a high-profile Republican for his last few terms, often enraging the mainstream media with his fiery rhetoric. Jordan would sate the more conservative members, but it&#8217;s unclear if moderates would support him.
<h2>Rep. Patrick McHenry, 47</h2>
<div id="attachment_483472" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-483472" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-483472" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-936592642-300x191.jpg" alt="UNITED STATES - MARCH 22: Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., removes his bow tie as he walks down the House steps after the final vote of the week on Thursday, March 22, 2018. Congress headed home for the two-week Easter recess after passing the omnibus spending bill. (Photo By " width="300" height="191" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-936592642-300x191.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-936592642-903x576.jpg 903w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-936592642-768x490.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-936592642.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call</div>
Rep. McHenry (R-OH) first won a seat in Congress in 2005 at just 29 years old. At first a strong conservative, he eventually became chief deputy whip to then-Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio, who was seen as a moderate throughout his run.
The New York Times <a href="https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.seattletimes.com%2Fnation-world%2Fnation-politics%2Fhere-are-the-house-republicans-to-watch-if-mccarthys-bid-for-speaker-falters%2F">reported</a> McHenry &#8220;pointedly took a lower-profile, behind-the-scenes approach to the job. And he developed a reputation among other lawmakers for his braininess and interest in tax and financial policy.&#8221;
“What changed for me was once I slowed down enough to respect the process and to respect the people that I served within the institution,” McHenry once told a local newspaper, “I was able to get more done when I slowed down and had respect for others.”
McHenry has served as an informal adviser to McCarthy for years and has been demure when asked if he has higher ambitions. And he is unlike the previous two candidates: McHenry voted to certify the 2020 presidential election.
But McHenry is a dark horse. GOP leaders have signaled he&#8217;s their pick to lead House Financial Services, which oversees banking, financial markets, housing, and monetary policy.
<h2>Rep. Elise Stefanik, 38</h2>
<div id="attachment_167189" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-167189" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-167189" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1198920659-300x200.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 06: Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) (C) stands as she's acknowledged by U.S. President Donald Trump as he speaks one day after the U.S. Senate acquitted on two articles of impeachment, in the East Room of the White House February 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. After five months of congressional hearings and investigations about President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, the U.S. Senate formally acquitted the president of charges that he abused his power and obstructed Congress. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/GettyImages-1198920659-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/GettyImages-1198920659-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/GettyImages-1198920659-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/GettyImages-1198920659.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Mark Wilson/Getty Images</div>
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) also joined Congress at an early age, becoming the youngest woman ever elected when she won her seat in 2014.
At first, she was a moderate who willingly worked with Democrats. Always a pragmatist, Stefanik was not an early backer of former President Donald Trump, going so far as to refuse to say his name in 2016 as she offered a weak endorsement of the then-nominee, the Times reported.
&#8220;But she has undergone a profound political metamorphosis,&#8221; the Times wrote. Stefanik has vehemently defended Trump and rose to become the No. 3 House Republican in 2021 when the GOP leadership ousted Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY).
An <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/house/">analysis</a> by FiveThirtyEight in early 2017 found that Stefanik supported Trump&#8217;s position in 77.7% of House votes from the 115th to the 117th Congress. She also became a fierce defender of Trump throughout his impeachment hearings.
And after the 2020 election, Stefanik claimed &#8220;more than 140,000 votes came from underage, deceased, and otherwise unauthorized voters&#8221; in Fulton County, Georgia. That charge was never proven.
So we don&#8217;t know who will wield the gavel, but we do know it&#8217;s all about to get very messy.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent for a national newspaper. He was also the a.m. editor of the Drudge Report for four years. Send tips to josephcurl@dailywire.com and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.

What (And Especially Who) To Watch For In Today’s Vote For House Speaker If Rep. Kevin McCarthy Falters

What To Watch For In Today's Vote For House Speaker If Rep. Kevin McCarthy Falters

Elise Stefanik

Steve Scalise

A week after the 2022 midterm elections, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) won the Republican Party’s nomination to become the next speaker of the House.
But that isn&#8217;t the end of the story. Not even close.
The GOP caucus is fractured, and McCarthy already has at least one challenger for the post. A candidate must win a simple majority (218 votes if all 435 members are present), which gives very little leeway for defectors as Republicans currently hold 221 seats to Democrats&#8217; 213, with one race still unsettled.
In the meantime, McCarthy is trying to get his ducks in a row. A slew of splinter caucuses are battling for a share of power, meaning the California congressman has got to be all things to all people.
The situation is dicey. It&#8217;s dangerous to announce a challenge to the powerful McCarthy, currently the House minority leader, because if someone tries and fails, that member could well be punished for their temerity.
“If somebody were to come out now and we didn’t deliver enough votes to stop Mr. McCarthy, that there would be a real potential for blowback,” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3769293-behind-the-scenes-hunt-builds-for-mccarthy-speaker-alternative/">told</a> The Hill. “They want to be very careful. So I think people are interested. They’ve expressed it to some of us … I think people are being wary.”
Biggs should know. He is a former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus &#8212; one group of members that aren&#8217;t entirely happy with McCarthy &#8212; and has already announced he will challenge him for the gavel.
What makes matters worse, Biggs told The Hill there could be as many as 20 House Republican members who will be “hard no’s” on McCarthy. That would clearly deny him the gavel.
Some Republicans are brazenly coming out against McCarthy. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) last week said he would not vote for him, becoming the fifth member to declare firm opposition to McCarthy&#8217;s bid for speaker.
“There’s nothing about his leadership or lack thereof when we were in the minority that would give you any indication he’s the right person to lead us in the fight to save the country,” Good said, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/video/6316365282112/rep-bob-good-said-he-will-vote-against-mccarthy-for-speakerhere-are-all-the-republicans-who-oppose-mccarthys-leadership-bid/?sh=11a74ba6e3ed">according </a>to Forbes.
Along with Biggs and Good, Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), and Ralph Norman (R-SC) have said they would not vote for McCarthy or could simply vote &#8220;present&#8221; on the House floor.
GOP members are furiously searching for a replacement who can pull all the party&#8217;s factions together. &#8220;We’re talking about who the other candidates are, who can get into it,&#8221; Good <a href="https://rumble.com/v1zf3sw-bob-good-you-will-remember-forever-the-day-we-kicked-out-mccarthy-and-stood.html">told</a> conservative radio host John Fredricks on Wednesday. &#8220;Again, we’re not going to get it publicly throw those names out there because then the disinformation campaign is directed towards them, then the retaliatory efforts go towards them.&#8221;
Various factions are jockeying for a piece of the pie. The conservative House Freedom Caucus has made numerous moves to be a central power broker among the GOP. The caucus, made up of 30-40 Republicans, last month sent potential new members a 55-page &#8220;Road Map&#8221; for the party, with a host of proposed rule changes, many of which sought to reduce the power of party leaders.
Other cliques are also looking for power. One known as the Problem Solvers&#8217; Caucus pledges to be a centrist band that can help the GOP win battles in the House but will look for bipartisan support from Democrats.
Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/huddle/2022/11/21/moderates-plot-power-moves-00069686">reported</a> that the co-leaders of the Problem Solvers caucus, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), met for dinner. They talked about changes that could unify and empower the 50 or so members of their group, including one idea that it would only endorse bills that have Republican and Democratic co-sponsors when introduced.
Then there&#8217;s the Main Street Caucus, which touts itself on Twitter as &#8220;the 2nd largest Caucus of Republicans in the House,&#8221; adding that its top priorities are &#8220;implementing pro-growth policies for small business owners, fostering economic and individual prosperity [and] delivering results for the American people.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s time we flex our muscles,&#8221; Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), co-leader of the Main Street Caucus, said, <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/republicans-factions-centrists/2022/11/21/id/1097412/">according</a> to Newsmax.
The situation is getting even weirder.
House members &#8220;say preliminary conversations are happening among Republicans and Democrats about a possible contingency candidate if McCarthy cannot win the gavel after multiple ballots in the new GOP-majority House next month,&#8221; The Hill reported.
&#8220;We’ve had preliminary talks with the Democrats,&#8221; Rep. Don Bacon told reporters, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?524610-4/washington-journal-rep-don-bacon-discusses-defense-bill-118th-congress-priorities">according</a> to C-SPAN. &#8220;If we have multiple, multiple votes, and they’re not willing to support what the far majority of the conference wants to do, we’re not going to be held hostage by them.&#8221;
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent for a national newspaper. He was also the a.m. editor of the Drudge Report for four years. Send tips to josephcurl@dailywire.com and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.

Screen Shot 2022-06-13 at 12.29.57 PM

Speaker McCarthy? Not So Fast, Some Republicans Say

Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy? Not So Fast, Some Republicans Say

House Republicans

speaker

Seven <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/house-republicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican</a> members of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House of Representatives</a> wrote an open letter to their caucus listing reforms that the next Speaker of the House must pursue to earn their votes.
The <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23400811-speaker-dear-colleague-final-12822" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> comes as House Minority Leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-mccarthy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin McCarthy</a> (R-CA) attempts to succeed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as the most powerful lawmaker in the lower chamber, a maneuver complicated by lackluster midterm election results that will grant Republicans only a narrow majority. The authors of the letter, which include five returning incumbents and two incoming freshmen, contended that the current balance of power grants undue control to caucus heads.
“The House leadership of both parties has increasingly centralized decision-making power around fewer and fewer individuals,” they wrote, “at the expense of deliberation and input by the body. This results in massive, multi-subject bills that are unable to be amended or fully read, all driven by supposedly must-pass defense and appropriations measures. In the process, we&#8217;ve amassed trillions of dollars in debt, empowered administration bureaucrats who target citizens, and failed to carry out our basic duties to defend the American People.”
Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC), Representative-Elect Eli Crane (R-AZ), and Representative-Elect Andy Ogles (R-TN) demanded that the House permit motions to vacate the chair, which would allow members to force a vote on the speakership. They noted that the motion had been permitted from 1801 to 2018 before it was removed from the rules under Pelosi’s leadership.
The lawmakers also observed the tendency of party leaders to push last-minute votes on omnibus packages. They requested a return to single-subject bills and a period of 72 hours to examine final bill texts. “For too long under both parties, we have simply failed to do our most basic job to legislate in a responsible manner on behalf of our constituents,” the authors wrote.
The letter also demanded that Republican leaders refrain from involving themselves “and their political proxies” in primary elections, ensure greater representation of conservative-leaning members on important committees, commit meaningfully to limit expenditures, and prioritize holding “weaponized” government agencies accountable.
“Leader McCarthy is a friend, and I’ve established a good working relationship with him over the past two years as the Freshman Representative to the Elected Leadership Committee,&#8221; Clyde told The Daily Wire. &#8220;While I continue my consideration of who I will vote for, the items presented are simply what I expect and require for anyone seeking the responsibility of serving as Speaker — as accountability of the Speaker to the membership is paramount.”
McCarthy, who needs a simple majority of lawmakers to gain control of the gavel, has pledged to avoid seeking additional votes from Democratic members. Presuming that all 435 members of the House vote for a candidate, opposition from even a few Republicans could disrupt his path to securing the top position in the chamber.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who chairs the conservative House Freedom Caucus, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/andy-biggs-to-challenge-kevin-mccarthy-for-speaker-position" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> intentions earlier this week to run for the speakership. He asserted in an <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2022/12/06/opinion-im-running-to-replace-kevin-mccarthy-as-house-speaker-and-break-the-establishment-rep-andy-biggs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opinion piece</a> that further leadership from McCarthy would bolster the establishment “uniparty” in Congress.
“We cannot let this all too rare opportunity to effectuate structural change pass us by because it is uncomfortable to challenge the Republican candidate who is a creature of the establishment status quo, or because the challenge is accompanied by some minimal risk,” Biggs wrote. “We will never defeat or change the status quo, which is taking us to the Leftist’s vision of America, by selecting a status quo candidate as the third most powerful person in the government.”
McCarthy appears to have anticipated challenges from conservatives; he vowed in a <a href="https://republicanleader.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/KevinMcCarthy-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> sent one day after the midterms that he will be a “listener every bit as much as a Speaker, striving to build consensus from the bottom-up rather than commanding the agenda from the top-down.”
The Daily Wire reached out to the offices of McCarthy and Biggs, as well as the five incumbent authors of the letter, for comment. This article will be updated with any response.

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Seven House Republicans List Demands For Next Speaker As McCarthy Battles For Every Vote

U.S. House of Representatives

Rep. <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/andy-biggs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andy Biggs</a> (R-AZ) is running against House Minority Leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-mccarthy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin McCarthy</a> (R-CA) to become Speaker of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/house-republicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House of Representatives</a>.
McCarthy won the Republican nomination to become Speaker over Biggs last month by a vote of 188 to 31. Biggs, who chairs the conservative House Freedom Caucus, wrote in a Tuesday <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2022/12/06/opinion-im-running-to-replace-kevin-mccarthy-as-house-speaker-and-break-the-establishment-rep-andy-biggs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opinion piece</a> for The Daily Caller that further leadership from McCarthy would entrench the establishment “uniparty” in Congress.
&#8220;We cannot let this all too rare opportunity to effectuate structural change pass us by because it is uncomfortable to challenge the Republican candidate who is a creature of the establishment status quo, or because the challenge is accompanied by some minimal risk,&#8221; Biggs wrote. “We will never defeat or change the status quo, which is taking us to the Leftist’s vision of America, by selecting a status quo candidate as the third most powerful person in the government.”
Republicans are poised to secure a slim House majority entering next year following lackluster results in the recent midterm elections. Biggs spokesman Matthew Tragesser <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-mccarthy-wins-gop-nomination-for-house-speaker-over-conservative-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Daily Wire last month that the nomination vote revealed McCarthy does not presently have enough support among Republicans to become Speaker.
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McCarthy has pledged not to seek additional votes from Democrats. He would need a simple majority of lawmakers to gain control of the gavel; presuming that all 435 members of the House vote for a candidate, opposition from even a few Republicans could disrupt his path to securing the top position in the chamber.
“It’s going to be a tight majority so everyone is going to have to work together,” McCarthy said last month after a meeting with House Republicans. “We’ll be successful as a team and we’ll be defeated as an individual if we don’t all work together.”
McCarthy, who has served in the House since 2007, congratulated his new colleagues for their modest gains in a <a href="https://republicanleader.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/KevinMcCarthy-Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> sent one day after the midterms, emphasizing that he would be willing to consider proposals from rank-and-file members. “I will be a listener every bit as much as a Speaker, striving to build consensus from the bottom-up rather than commanding the agenda from the top-down,” he wrote. “That means putting the right people in the right spots and harnessing the power of our entire conference. Everyone has something valuable to bring to the table and my door will always be open to your ideas and input on how we best achieve our shared goals.”
Biggs, who has served in the House since 2017, argued on Tuesday that McCarthy has been disloyal to former President Donald Trump and encouraged colleagues to “reinvigorate the America First movement” that Trump pioneered.
“The purpose of the establishment is not to better the lives of Americans, the purpose is to gain and keep power,” he continued. “If anyone besides the establishment class experiences positive effects from the rule of the establishment, it is merely serendipitous.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the first female Speaker of the House, recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-nancy-pelosi-will-not-seek-job-as-top-house-democrat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that she would no longer serve in Democratic leadership, although she will retain her seat in Congress. The 82-year-old lawmaker had control of the gavel from 2007 to 2011 under President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama and assumed the position again in 2019 after Democrats regained control of the chamber under President Trump.

Andy Biggs To Challenge Kevin McCarthy For Speaker Position

Andy Biggs, House Freedom Caucus Chair, Will Challenge Kevin McCarthy For Speakership

House Minority Leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-mccarthy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin McCarthy</a> won the GOP nomination to be the next speaker of the House on Tuesday, though a concerted effort by House conservatives to block McCarthy may force him to appeal to Democrats or bow out of the contest.
Texas Republican Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chip-roy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chip Roy</a> nominated Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, who chairs the House Freedom Caucus, to challenge McCarthy as head of the House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/republican-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican</a> caucus. McCarthy <a href="https://twitter.com/emilybrooksnews/status/1592597453450383360">won</a> the contest in a 188-31 vote. McCarthy will need to secure at least 218 votes in January to become the next speaker of the House.
Biggs and Roy orchestrated the challenge as conservatives in the House tried to unseat McCarthy over the direction of the caucus and the results of the 2022 midterm election. The election results in which Republicans appear set to eke out a slim majority of about 220 seats disappointed and frustrated many Republicans. McCarthy has argued that Republicans need unity to solidify their likely small majority.
“It’s going to be a tight majority so everyone is going to have to work together,” McCarthy <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-11-15/mccarthy-taking-first-step-to-house-speaker-but-grind-ahead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> late Monday after a meeting with House Republicans. “We’ll be successful as a team and we’ll be defeated as an individual if we don’t all work together.”
Despite losing, a Biggs&#8217; spokesman told The Daily Wire that the vote accomplished what the congressman and other House conservatives wanted. &#8220;We have leverage. Today showed McCarthy does not have enough GOP votes to win speaker still. Not even close,&#8221; Biggs spokesman Matthew Tragesser said.
Biggs first announced that he would challenge McCarthy for the top spot on Monday during an appearance on <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/andy-biggs-kevin-mccarthy-house/2022/11/14/id/1096384/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Newsmax</a>.
“I think the country wants a different direction from the House of Representatives,” Biggs said. “And it’s a new world, and, yes, I’m going to be nominated [Tuesday] for the position of speaker of the House.”
McCarthy aims to become the next speaker of the House with the expected Republican majority. Biggs&#8217; longshot challenge may spoil that, however, if his supporters refuse to back McCarthy. McCarthy has pledged not to seek additional votes from Democrats.
“Kevin has raised a lot of money and done a lot of things, but this is not just about Kevin,” Biggs continued. “I think it&#8217;s about institutional direction and trajectory.”
Roy <a href="https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1592228964759650306" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on social media Monday: “Americans are demanding transformative change but Congress is too broken to provide that change. Our Speaker, whoever that is … must a) reject the status quo, lead on issues that matter to Americans, &amp; empower House members to fight for those issues.  4) No member currently has 218 &amp; there’ll be an alternative presented. This is bigger than any individual &#8211; it’s about the country.”
Allies of McCarthy have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-kevin-mccarthy-made-failed-bid-to-recruit-texas-dem-as-gop-tries-to-grab-slim-house-majority" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> been trying to recruit at least one moderate Democrat, Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, to switch parties. Cuellar&#8217;s switch would strengthen Republicans&#8217; likely slim hold on the House. McCarthy has denied that those requests to Cuellar came at McCarthy&#8217;s behest.
“Anyone suggesting this is simply exercising in fan fiction,” McCarthy spokesman Mark Bednar said. “Leader McCarthy is going to be elected speaker by the current and newly-elected members of the House Republican Conference. Our efforts are exclusively focused on bringing our conference together and saving the country.”

Kevin McCarthy Wins GOP Nomination For House Speaker Over Conservative Protests

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