Republicans deciding House rules package after contentious week of speaker votes

Geoff Bennett:

In the first big test of Kevin McCarthy's speakership, the House is voting on a controversial rules package that will set the procedural plans for this new Congress.

The package includes concessions McCarthy made in closed-door deals with Republican hard-liners to help get him elected speaker, concessions that many worry could lead to more gridlock.

To walk us through all this, I'm joined by our congressional correspondent, Lisa Desjardins.

So, Lisa, Republicans have a speaker, but the House can't really get down to work until the chamber passes this set of operating rules. The all-important question these days appears to be, do they have the votes?

Lisa Desjardins:

This is the first big test of this Republican new House.

And I will say that, going into today, we knew, of course, that the Freedom Caucus folks who negotiated these rules, they liked the bent. They like how much it changes the House. But there is a question mark over tonight's vote. And that comes in part from moderates, who were upset they didn't have a seat at the table. They haven't seen all of these changes necessarily.

Here's Republican Nancy Mace of South Carolina speaking yesterday.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC):

I represent a purple district. I have to represent Republicans, Democrats and independents.

I want to know that the positions that I have are going to have a voice, that it will have weight in the conference. There are a lot of members like me that that have issues with some of the policies that we're going to be working on.

Lisa Desjardins:

Now, just in the past hour or so, it is our understanding that, actually, Representative Mace has decided that she will vote yes, tonight. That is a big yes-vote and a relief to, I think, probably Kevin McCarthy and other Republicans.

Some, like Chip Roy, who was known as the opponent of McCarthy, who kind of got these rules going, he spoke on the Glenn Beck radio show today about what he sees as the importance, what his philosophy has been behind these rules.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX):

But we're doing what we can, we think, to move the needle in this town towards openness and a sense that we're going to try to do the work of the American people and empower your congressmen, not just a few people, to be able to execute for them.

Lisa Desjardins:

Right.

So this is a real question of how this Republican Conference can get along, if they can get along, this vote coming up. Right now, Geoff, my sources indicate they think that they will have this vote, but predicting the direction of this body, I have been telling people, is a bit like predicting the direction of a group of very loosely tethered huskies that don't seem to have a musher.

(LAUGHTER)

Lisa Desjardins:

We will see this vote when we see it.

Geoff Bennett:

So, Lisa, we have talked about this critical rules package before, but help us understand why this holdup over it matters.

Lisa Desjardins:

Right.

These specific rules, there's a 55-page document that we have seen. There's another three-page document in secret that has been going around that contains some concessions that are not public and are not all the way known.

So let's talk about the things that we don't know yet. One of those, we don't know the exact requirement for the debt ceiling. That will be a major factor in your life and my life and the country's life as we hit that debt ceiling deadline likely at the beginning of the summer.

There also is not clear — a clear standard for the exact scale of spending cuts that Republicans are saying they agree to amongst themselves. And then, finally, we don't know the extent of the influence of the Freedom Caucus on the committees and on what committees.

One thing that we did learn today, Byron Donalds, someone who made a name for himself a Florida as one of the alternate candidates for speaker, we know that he has been placed on the all-important Steering Committee.

I know we're talking about so much process here, Geoff, but that really is the committee that decides who goes where, who gets what power within the House Republican committee structure. So, clearly, there's somewhat some kind of a sense of reward for him and a big foothold for those he represents, which are those sorts of opponents, those folks who are watchful of Kevin McCarthy.

Geoff Bennett:

Yes.

Lisa, as you well know, there are lawmakers who say that these concessions increase transparency around how major legislation comes together. But there are also lawmakers who say that these concessions basically bake in dysfunction, to make it difficult for the House to do pretty much anything.

Give us a sense. What are the sort of pros and cons of the Republican approach here?

Lisa Desjardins:

It's so important to stress that.

There are many Republicans and Democrats who would like a more open House, who would like 72 hours before a bill is seen, kind of go back to the days in the early 19th century, when there was vigorous open debate on the floor. Some believe that that could be good, as well as some of the fiscal things they have in here, more amendments to cut spending.

But let's look at sort of some of the other — the one major issue here with the national debt. Let's — in 2013, the national debt, $11.5 trillion. Now, look at that, $24.5 trillion. This is the issue. That's about 95 percent of our GDP.

So, while these maneuvers seem like they would allow for more spending cuts, one issue is, they could also motivate and there's more incentive here for cutting taxes. That is something that adds more red ink. So, on the one hand, it's this. On the other, it's that. And it's also not clear if the Republican Party in the House will be able to control itself and be disciplined about getting these things done together.

Geoff Bennett:

Lisa Desjardins joining us from Capitol Hill tonight.

Lisa, thanks.

Lisa Desjardins:

You're welcome.