Conservatives tank procedural vote on appropriations measure, signaling trouble

A band of House conservatives tanked a procedural vote to advance an appropriations bill Wednesday, underscoring the problems Republicans are having in the government funding process.

Shortly after the failed procedural vote Wednesday morning, the office of House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) announced that no additional votes would be expected in the House following the current series until Nov. 28. The chamber was initially scheduled to hold another vote series Wednesday afternoon.

Congress has been in session for 10 weeks, and tensions had been starting to show. Just a day earlier, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) accused former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) of elbowing him in the back — a charge McCarthy denied.

Nineteen hard-line conservatives joined with Democrats in a 225-198 vote opposing the rule for legislation funding Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies, and a separate Iran-related bill, blocking the chamber from considering the measures. 

The failed vote came just one day after the chamber cleared a two-step stopgap bill that several hard-liners voted against. The legislation, which the Senate will now consider, would extend funding at current levels for some agencies and programs until Jan. 19, and all others through Feb. 2. It would also extend the authorization of programs and authorities in the farm bill until Sept. 30.

The chamber approved the bifurcated continuing resolution in a bipartisan 336-95 vote, with significantly more Democrats — 209 — backing the bill than Republicans, 127. Ninety-three Republicans opposed the legislation, a number of whom are hard-line conservatives.

Wednesday’s failed procedural vote is a blow to newly minted Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who crafted the continuing resolution the chamber passed Tuesday and has sought to advance the appropriations process since assuming the top job last month.

Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, told reporters following the failed procedural vote that the GOP opposition to the rule was in response to concerns over the continuing resolution, the decision to consider an Iran bill under a closed rule, and the Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill.

Votes on rules — which govern debate on legislation — are typically routine and predictable. But conservatives this Congress have used the procedural vote as a way to retaliate against GOP leadership.

Aris Folley contributed.

Updated at 12:03 p.m. ET