Speaker Scorecard...
Ahead of the crucial vote, a group of conservatives and potential opposition to Speaker Mike Johnson rally around a document critical of the 118th Congress’s legislative record.
The unnamed author of the document has compiled a “scorecard” highlighting what Johnson’s critics see as a series of legislative failures under his leadership.
According to the scorecard:
The House must be organized to deliver on the historic mandate granted to President Trump and Republicans. It currently is not – as demonstrated many times over the last year and, most recently, the week before Christmas. For example (but not exhaustive):
Since November 5th, Republicans added OVER $300BB in ADDITIONAL spending to the deficit and hastened Social Security insolvency by at least 6 months.
In the last week before Christmas alone, House Republicans:
Violated the 72 hour-rule (designed to ensure we read bills), not once but TWICE
Had to pull down a 1,547 page bill that contained a large number of extraneous provisions (including some positive things) due to the disastrous legislative process under which it was crafted by the Speaker.
Added $110 billion to the deficit, without any offsets, to give the Biden Administration more funding weeks before Republicans take control in January.
Divided (unnecessarily) House Republicans and President Trump regarding his correct desire to clear the decks of the debt ceiling because leadership NEVER shared it with the
GOP conference, leaving 48 hours to negotiate.
Summary since November 2023:
Passed an additional $61 billion for Ukraine, under a rule relying on Democrats and in violation of the Hastert Rule (a majority of Republicans opposed), with ZERO border security policies, despite repeated promises to secure the border before funding
Ukraine
Passed one $1.2 trillion FY24 spending bill under suspension of the rules (that funded DHS with no border security policies) in violation of the Hastert
Rule (a majority of Republicans opposed) AND the 72-hour rule
Passed one $500 billion FY24 spending bill under suspension of the rules with significantly more Democrat votes than Republican votes
Passed five separate continuing resolutions under suspension of the rules, each with more Democrat votes than Republican votes (the final of which included $110 billion in supplemental appropriations without even a vote on spending offsets)
Passed an FY24 NDAA that jettisoned most conservative wins to restore the Pentagon’s focus by suspension of the rules with more Democrat votes than Republican votes Passed a FISA reauthorization, which failed to include a warrant requirement, with more Democrats than Republicans supporting.
Passed a bill that adds $195 BB to the deficit and hastens Social Security insolvency by suspension of the rules with more Democrats than Republicans supporting (the bill passed the Senate, despite assurances it would not)
DETAILED SCORECARD… 4 “successes” and 26 “fails” for House Republicans since November 2023:
NOVEMBER 2023, SUCCESS #1: ISRAEL – Passed a $14.3 BB bill funding Israel in response to gruesome 10/7 attacks along with IRS pay-for by a vote of 226-196 with many more GOP (214-2) votes than Dem (12-194). Excellent decision in first week as Speaker to unite GOP, but we did not message it well enough to pressure Senate Democrats.
NOVEMBER 2023, SUCCESS #2: APPROPS – Passed FY24 Interior/Environment Approps on a party line vote (1 Dem yes, 3 GOP no) – including many strong policies from base text and amendment process. NEUTRAL: Passed mediocre E&W (Oct) and Lege Branch bills (Nov).
NOVEMBER 2023, FAIL #1: CR #1 – Passed, by suspension of the rules – with many more Dems (209-2) than GOP (127-93), and a vote of 336-95 – a short term “laddered” continuing resolution (“CR”) that staggered funding deadlines for different agencies, but failed to properly isolate key issues like DHS/border. It also included a one-year extension of the Farm Bill until January 2025.
DECEMBER 2023, FAIL #2: NDAA – Passed by suspension of the rules 310-118 – with more Dems (163-45) than GOP (147-73) supporting – a watered down NDAA that discarded conservative anti-woke priorities included in the House GOP bill and also included a FISA extension that allowed it to operate until spring 2025 – all with the promise to focus on fighting on spending to achieve border.
DECEMBER 2023, FAIL #3: SANTOS – Members of the House GOP led an effort to oust George Santos, resulting in loss of a seat – passing with many more Dems (206-2) than GOP (105-112), and a vote of 311-114 – lacking a majority of the GOP supporting.
JANUARY 2024, FAIL #4: BUST CAPS – Deal announced busting the (already too high) statutory spending caps included in the Fiscal Responsibility Act by nearly $70 BB (despite there being much better alternatives to jam the Dems) totally giving up all leverage on spending and failing to secure any border policies.
JANUARY 2024, FAIL #5: CR #2 – Passed, by suspension of the rules – with many more Dems (207-2) than GOP (107-106) and a vote of 314-108 – yet another CR, extending government funding to March – continuing to give up all leverage and continuing failure to bifurcate properly to leverage for border security.
FEBRUARY 2024, SUCCESS #3: IMPEACH – Impeached DHS Secretary Mayorkas, notably on a second vote after losing 3 GOP votes and failing to pass the impeachment (failed in the Senate).
FEBRUARY 2024, FAIL #6: FISA – Pulled down FISA reform bill from Rules Committee after debate started and testimony offered, despite the rule being supported by conservatives and Judiciary members, because Intel Committee threatened to kill the rule:
FAIL A: In December 2023, the House Judiciary Committee passed a bipartisan FISA reform bill protecting civil liberties… and despite holding primary jurisdiction over the issue, the bill was not advanced as base text.
FAIL B: In December 2023, effort was being considered to do a “Queen of the Hill” on the House floor, which would have given the Intel community the upper hand to jam through their weak bill.
FAIL C: In February 2024, Compromise bill brought to Rules with 3 amendments each side, general agreement to bring it up, but Intel refuses to allow “4th Amendment is Not For Sale” amendment by threatening the rule on the floor – rule was pulled down.
FEBRUARY 2024, FAIL #7: TAX – Passed, by suspension of the rules – with more Dems (188-23) than GOP (169-47), and a vote of 357-70 – a tax bill that, while moving some positive tax provisions (driven largely by K street), included a massive expansion of welfare tax credits that go to illegal aliens (despite efforts to fix this), so much so that even the corporate-tax-reform-friendly WSJ opposed the bill (& here & here). The bill was not considered in the Senate.
FEBRUARY 2024, FAIL #8: SALT – Brought to the floor – via rule – a bill opposed by a majority of the GOP to eliminate the “marriage penalty” on SALT deductions passed by the GOP in 2017 in the Trump tax bill… getting nothing for it. The rule failed on the floor with 18 GOP voting no.
FEBRUARY 2024, FAIL #9: CR #3 – Passed yet another CR to March that passed with more Democrats (207-2) than Republican votes (113-97) because we couldn’t get appropriations done. Once again giving up leverage on spending cuts and border security.
MARCH 2024, FAIL #10: OMNI 1 – Passed, by suspension of the rules – with many more Dems (207-2) than GOP (132-83), and a vote of 339-85 – the first half of a massive omnibus spending bill (H.Res.1061), busting the bipartisan FRA spending caps & relinquishing all leverage on spending and the border, with 6,628 earmarks totaling $12.7BB including the egregious funding of $1 million for an “environmental justice center” and $4 million for a Green New Deal police station all while selling the bill as “cutting spending to DOJ and the FBI” hiding behind the defunding of an old Richard Shelby earmark for FBI facilities in Alabama.
MARCH 2024, (Partial) SUCCESS #4: TIKTOK – Passed H.R. 7521, by suspension of the rules – with a vote of 352-65 – with more GOP (197-15) than Dems (155-50) – a bill to require certain companies (e.g. TikTok) to divest the ownership of specific (5) foreign adversaries such as China.
(Note: “Partial” represents suspension of rules & 15 conservatives opposing).
MARCH 2024, FAIL #11: OMNI 2 – Passed, by suspension of the rules and ignoring the 72 hour rule (1000+ page bill) for the first time this Congress, with many more Dems (185-22) than GOP (101-112), and a vote of 286-134 – without a majority of the GOP – the second half of a massive omnibus spending bill (H.Res.1102), busting the bipartisan FRA spending caps and relinquishing all leverage on spending and the border (by FUNDING DHS), with $1.9 BB in earmarks – including the egregious funding of clinics that provide hormone therapy / gender transition to kids, a hospital in RI that performs late term abortions, a Muslim Network calling for the destruction of Israel, and a defund the police group in CT. Notably, this included $200 million for an FBI headquarters, undermining the primary argument for the first omnibus funding bill.
MARCH 2024, FAIL #12: NO ISRAEL – Adjourned for Easter Recess without passing a clean Israel funding bill (despite conservatives making clear they would support a rule), to emphasize that Democrats were refusing to support Israel – despite the same week the Biden administration
“abstaining” on the United Nations cease-fire resolution.
APRIL 2024, FAIL #13: FISA – Passed, with a compromise, pre-determined rule structure AFTER 19 conservative GOP took down the rule to force change – with slightly more Dems (147-59) than GOP (126-88), and a vote of 273-147 – a FISA re-authorization bill that did NOT include warrant protection, with the Speaker casting the deciding vote AGAINST warrant protection in an amendment that failed 212-212 (GOP: 128-86, Dems: 84-126).
APRIL 2024, FAIL #14: FOREIGN AID RULE – Passed, with a compromise, pre-determined rule structure designed to gain the support of ALL Democrats on the Rules Committee and Democrat support on the floor – with unprecedented more Dems (165) than GOP (151), resulting in passage of the rule 316-94 but with 55 GOP defecting from even moving to the measure – the Rule for the combined foreign aid supplemental (which funded Ukraine with no border security).
APRIL 2024, FAIL #15: UKRAINE/HAMAS – Passed, without a majority of Republican support, and more Dem (210) support than GOP (101) on passage (311-112-1), the Ukraine funding measure as part of the “foreign aid” package that a) was NOT paid-for, b) funds Ukraine at $61BB (bringing total $175BB) with no clear mission defined, and c) funds Israel at $17BB while also funding “humanitarian” & “refugee” assistance at $9BB – which is certain to go to Hamas and fund refugees to America (as evidenced already). Notably this package included zero border security despite the Speaker promising on multiple occasions the House would not fund Ukraine until the border was secure.
APRIL 2024, FAIL #16: FAKE HR2 – After trying to move a rule for a cover vote on HR2 for members to say the Foreign Aid Package “included” border security, the House failed to pass a modified version of H.R. 2 (H.R. 3602) via suspension of the rules with a vote of 215-199, notably giving cover to 5 “swing” Dems.
MAY 2024, FAIL #17: ANTI-SEMITISM – Passed, without Judiciary Committee process, any amendments, or any hearing… an Anti-Semitism bill that, whatever the intentions, incorporated definitions adopted by international organizations to create language that dangerously empowers the Dept. of Education to police thought and speech – a move roundly criticized by conservative thought leaders, religious liberty experts, & forcing 21 GOP to vote “no”. Rather than forcing Democrats into a hard spot, 133 Dems voted for the bill, which passed 320-91.
MAY 2024, FAIL #18: FAKE BORDER – Passed a non-binding resolution, H. Res. 1112, with the support of 13 Dems on final passage (223-191) giving them cover for opposing the Biden “open borders” policies without actually doing anything to change them.
JULY 2024, FAIL #19: EARLY AUGUST RECESS W/O CR+SAVE – The House left for August recess one week early without implementing a CR + SAVE Act, which would have put the Dems in a box all summer. Instead, we failed to pass the bill in September with limited messaging runway.
SEPTEMBER 2024, FAIL #20: CR #4 INTO LAME DUCK, NO SAVE ACT – The Speaker failed to pass a CR into March + SAVE Act (202-220-2), and refused to shut down after not doing so, because he could not keep the conference together. 14 Republicans opposed (2 voted present) – the bill was even opposed by the GOP Armed Services Committee chairman. Instead, we got a CR to December, teeing up the lame duck “cramnibus” fight.
SEPTEMBER 2024, FAIL #21: WEP DISCHARGE – A GOP discharge petition for HR 82 – a $195 billion bill to eliminate WEP/GPO from Social Security that would accelerate Social Security insolvency by 6 months – reached 218 signatures, with significant Republican support, including support from a Rules Committee member and appropriations cardinals.
NOVEMBER 2024, FAIL #22: WEAK HOUSE ELECTIONS – Despite Trump dominating the electoral college, the GOP winning the popular vote for the first time in 20 years, and the GOP picking up four Senate seats, House Republicans had a lackluster night at the ballot box and will have an even smaller majority in the 119th Congress.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024, FAIL #23: WEP BILL PASSES HOUSE & SENATE – On November 12, 2024, the House passed HR 82 (the $195 billion WEP Social Security bill), which the Speaker supported. Instead of holding it at the desk, on November 19, 2024, the bill was sent to the Senate. Despite promising that the “Senate would not take the bill up,” on December 21, 2024, the bill passed the Senate and is awaiting Biden’s signature.
DECEMBER 2024, FAIL #24: “CRAMNIBUS” – Despite promising “There won’t be a Christmas omnibus,” Mike Johnson colluded with Democrats to craft a 1,547-page lame duck continuing resolution through March that included: $110 billion in supplemental funding (unpaid for); a massive healthcare package (offset with gimmicks); an expansion of ethanol; an extension of a State Department office that engages in censorship, and more. The bill was ultimately pulled after backlash from conservatives on social media.
DECEMBER 2024, FAIL #25: DEBT CEILING – After the Speaker’s indecisiveness, President Trump (correctly) requested the House raise the debt ceiling to disarm any leverage the Dems may have to use it against him, to which conservatives voiced concerns about doing so without spending cuts. The Speaker ultimately put a stripped-down version of the “cramnibus” that still included $110 billion in unpaid for supplemental spending AND a two-year ($5 trillion) debt ceiling increase with no spending cuts (or commitment to do cuts) on the floor. The bill failed 174-235, with 38 GOP voting no.
DECEMBER 2024, FAIL #26: CR #5 + SUPPLEMENTAL – The Speaker ultimately removed the debt ceiling increase from the stripped-down “cramnibus” and passed it 366-34 – with more Dems (196) than GOP (170) supporting, and with no consideration of amendments to pay for the $110 BB in supplemental spending included in the bill.
