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The House continued attempts to elect a Speaker this week.
- Last week, the spending-cutting conservatives dominated the internal votes.
- This week, the appropriators dominated the floor votes.
Unofficially, there are three parties in Washington: Republicans, Democrats, and Appropriators. Appropriators are the Members of Congress on the Appropriations committees which decide how taxpayer and debt dollars are spent. There may be a Republican majority in Congress, but there is not necessarily a conservative majority in Congress. House Republican Appropriators, who have been cutting spending this year, still recognize a real threat when they see one and are acting accordingly.
Some Republicans are beginning to worry if there is a candidate that won’t lose five votes from one side or another. With the two men from the first two-man race both now no longer candidates, several more Members are stepping up, and the process is set to start again next week. A dozen years ago, when Congress passed the Budget Control Act (P.L. 112-25), many in Washington thought the supercommittee it created couldn’t fail to act, leaving the sequester to take effect. It did fail, and all spending was cut one percent for a time. While the current Speaker election debate may all be happening within the House Republican Conference, the differences seem as intractable now as they did then. That raises the question, What default option takes effect without action?
At the beginning of a Congress, the Clerk of the House runs the House until the House elects a Speaker. In this case, the House is operating under a Speaker pro tempore as designated by Speaker McCarthy soon after he was elected Speaker in January: Rep. Patrick McHenry. This is the first time that process has been used, so figuring out how much he can do in this position with this authority is all precedent-setting. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) has introduced a resolution to formally elect McHenry Speaker pro tempore (H.Res. 787). Four Members have joined him as cosponsors, two of whom voted for Jordan as Speaker and one of whom, a delegate, does not vote. A more permanent Speaker pro tempore raises several questions. Would a Speaker pro tempore have all the powers of a fully elected Speaker? For how long? Would this year’s change in the motion-to-vacate rule apply to a Speaker pro tempore, or would “the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives” already be considered vacant rendering moot any further such motions to vacate? Conservatives who still really want to cut spending and have indicated opposition to extending greater authority to the Speaker pro tempore objecting that it would be viewed as “a coalition government with (House Democratic Leader) Hakeem Jeffries.”
November 17, when the current continuing resolution (P.L. 118-15) runs out, is coming. We are in the new fiscal year without a year-long spending plan. We don’t reach last May’s plan for spending cuts without additional spending action from Congress. The calendar could still change votes for Speaker.
The new low threshold for the motion-to-vacate rule has given the House its own filibuster rule. Unlike in the Senate, this filibuster halts everything. The House has slowed down so much that it’s making the Senate look fast. In discussing aid for Israel, Senate Majority Leader Schumer said, “We can't wait for the House. Who knows what is going to be happening there? The Senate will go first, and it is my hope that if the Senate can move quickly”.
It may not yet be time for the Nation to fully notice and feel the effects of what’s happening in Congress. It’s definitely time for God’s people to pray.
Father, we know this Nation is closer to the precipice of destruction and collapse than it has ever been. Your judgments are right and true, and would be felt far and wide on this Nation. We ask you to rouse Your people. Awaken them to call on you.
“Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:34)
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Tim McGhee
CHPP Legislative Analyst, Pray for Congress
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Digests: M 10/16 (PDF) • T 10/17 (PDF) • W 10/18 (PDF) • Th 10/19 (PDF) • F 10/20 (PDF)
Senate — Votes — Legislation: New: 81 (D, R), Action: 14, Voted: 2, Passed: 14 — News
M 10/16/2023 — Record PDF, Log • Summary
T 10/17/2023 — Record PDF, Log • Summary
W 10/18/2023 — Record PDF, Log • Summary
Th 10/19/2023 — Record PDF, Log • Summary
House — Legislation: New: 79 (R, D) — News
M 10/16/2023 — Record PDF, Extensions PDF • Activity, Votes
T 10/17/2023 — Record PDF, Extensions PDF • Activity, Votes
W 10/18/2023 — Record PDF, Extensions PDF • Activity, Votes
Th 10/19/2023 — Record PDF, Extensions PDF • Activity, Votes
F 10/20/2023 — Record PDF, Extensions PDF • Activity, Votes
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Military — Committees: Senate, House
Democratic women tie national security to abortion demands
Foreign Policy — Committees: Senate, House
Senate delegation says US involvement in Israel-Hamas conflict is ‘in world’s interest’ • Chuck Schumer and bipartisan Senate delegation rushed to Tel Aviv bomb shelter
Senate Intel Chair: Hamas ‘cold-blooded murderers' who’ve 'terrorized' Israelis, Palestinians, says sending two US aircraft carriers to Israel sends ‘clear warning’ to Iran
McConnell: No more splitting hairs about whether intelligence demonstrates Iran's direct involvement in the October 7 attacks. The Supreme Leader has rejoiced at the images of dead Israelis. A senior Iranian official called it 'a proud operation,' and Hamas has a history of thanking Iran for its support in public. No more absurd suggestions that seeking to free up $6 billion in Iranian assets doesn't embolden Tehran. We have reams—reams—of evidence that the regime that chants 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel' puts its money where its mouth is.
McConnell on higher education response to the Middle East: I am reminded of a retort the late, great Bill Buckley deployed in a debate when his opponent tried to have both sides of the Cold War. He said: That is like saying that the man who pushes a little old lady into the path of a bus is morally equivalent to the man who pushes her out of its path, because they both push little old ladies around. and Some university leaders have displayed admirable conviction. (University Responses)
Thune, Cardin lead Senate delegation to Saudi Arabia
Rep Unveils Bill That Would Allow US To Pay Itself Back For Ukraine Aid With Frozen Russian Assets (H.R. 5925)
McConnell: We need to remember America is a superpower. Our interests are global, and with global interests come global responsibilities. Our alliances matter. Our credibility matters. Our friends on the frontlines of authoritarian aggression and terrorist savagery don't have the opportunity to take a holiday from history, and America can't afford to either.
Second Amendment
Senators say funding bills held up amid talks over guns rights amendment
Immigration
House Republican Introduces Bill to Block Palestinian Refugees (H.R. 5959, Senate version: S. 3052)
Federal Spending — Committees: House, Senate — FY 2024 bills, table
Sen. Schmitt: This Chamber has spent exactly 0.0 minutes in the first 9.5 months we have been here on appropriations bills—not a second.
White House asks Congress for $106 billion in security supplemental
Congress Raises Alarms About $27 Billion Green Energy ‘Slush Fund’
Pray Congress retains all pro-life policy riders in the appropriations bills.
CBO: Senate Amendment 1092 to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 (H.R. 4366)
Analysis of the 2023 Social Security Trustees' Report: “With insolvency looming, refusal to touch Social Security is an endorsement of a sudden 20 percent across-the-board benefit cut imposed on beneficiaries of all ages and incomes.” Policymakers have 11 years to restore solvency to the program.
Analysis of the 2023 Medicare Trustees' Report: The Medicare Trustees’ report shows the Hospital Insurance trust fund will be insolvent in eight years and Medicare spending will rise rapidly as a share of GDP over the next quarter-century. Along with the Social Security trust funds and the Highway Trust Fund, these three major trust funds are headed for insolvency in the next 11 years.
Executive — Committees: House, Senate
House’s Impeachment Inquiry Looks Into Classified Documents Held by Biden
Smith, Lankford lead letter rebuking Biden Administration proposal to impose abortion mandate on employers (Background)
Agriculture Policy — Committees: Senate, House
Getting a new speaker may not clear hurdles to agriculture bills
Health Care Policy — Committee: Senate
CBO: Health Care and the Federal Budget
Science/Technology Policy — Committee: House, Senate
Schumer on AI: Next week, we will turn to AI innovation, both transformational innovation—the kind of innovation that creates new vistas, unlocks new cures, improves education, protects our food supply and our national security—but also to sustainable innovation, which is the kind of guardrails that are needed to prevent the negatives in AI, necessary to prevent against AI's risks and minimize the chance that this technology becomes unmanageable or worse. We are going to focus on both of these types of innovation, both of which are needed. • Pray Leader Schumer focuses more on supernatural intelligence than artificial intelligence.
Congress — Committees: House, Senate
Jordan out as House Republican speaker nominee, after secret ballot loss • Speaker race wide open • Rep Fitzpatrick Explains Real Reason for Holdout Against Jim Jordan
Without a House Speaker, Republicans Are Out of Line of Presidential Succession
The real House Republican drama: Whether to empower the temp speaker • Boehner, Gingrich: House should empower McHenry as interim Speaker • Senate Republicans offer support for McHenry to break House impasse • Matt Gaetz Issues Warning
‘SALT’ relief on the table in speaker negotiations
Up close without a vote: Delegates weigh in on speakership mess
Lawmakers describe more threats related to speaker race, Israel-Hamas conflict
Police Arrest Pro-Palestinian Protesters Inside Congressional Office Building
Rep. Miller-Meeks received death threats over Jordan opposition
McHenry is reluctant center of House Speakership storm
Laphonza Butler to fill Feinstein’s Senate Judiciary Committee seat
MTG Moves to Censure 'Terrorist Sympathizer' Rashida Tlaib Over Capitol Hill Protest
Arizona House Republican Lesko calls DC ‘broken,’ decides not run again next year
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Committee Activity — Meetings • Reports: 1 • Legislative action this week:
All committee legislative action • Senate (Subcommittees) • House (Subcommittees)
Senators zero in on national standard for college athletes getting paid (Meeting, Congress.gov)
Senators grill NIH director nominee Bertagnolli on NIH priorities, drug costs (Meeting, Congress.gov)
GOP senators criticize Israel envoy nominee over work on Iran deal (Meeting, Congress.gov)
Previously stalled FAA, Amtrak nominees move toward vote in Senate (Meeting, Docs, Congress.gov)
‘It’s a Very Bad Look’: Biden Energy Loan Czar Freezes Up During Senate Hearing on ‘Pay-To-Play’ Allegations (Meeting, Congress.gov)
House Majority Leader Committee Recap
Biden Admin Wants Explicit Content to Stay in School Libraries, House Panel’s Chairman Says (Meeting, Docs, Congress.gov)
Committee news this week: Senate • House (Google News)
Senate Hearing Transcripts:
House Hearing Transcripts:
Floor Outlook
Senate
Schumer: Senate working on aid package for Israel 'hopefully within the next few weeks' to 'include military aid, diplomatic help, humanitarian aid, and intelligence aid, all things Israel needs.'
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The Senate stands adjourned until 12 noon, Monday, October 23, 2023.
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12 noon, Monday, October 23, 2023 — pro forma
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10 a.m., Tuesday, October 24, 2023 — Whitaker nomination
Thursday, 10/19, Senate began consideration of 2 nominations:
- Michael G. Whitaker, of Vermont, to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration for the term of five years, Department of Transportation.
- Jessica Looman, of Minnesota, to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor.
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House Republicans meet Monday evening about electing a Speaker.
The House next convenes at 11 a.m., Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
Complete list of Bills for the Week of October 23, 2023 — Nothing was posted at the time of publication, but items scheduled later would be listed there.
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Our Weekly Call to Repentance
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CHPP Welcomes You to Join Us Every Week in One Hour of Repentance
Sunday evening at 10:00 p.m. EDT
Dial 717-908-1983
Access Code: 9301470#
Dear Saints,
A lifestyle of REPENTANCE is so close to the heart of God.
Indeed, He commands us to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" Matthew 3:2
How, then, can we approach His Throne of GRACE, in repentance?
We invite you to join us every week on Sunday evening, as we explore this vital topic together. We present a different prayer focus each week, leading us into repentance, so that we might approach His Throne of Grace in repentance, presenting ourselves to Him as a pure and a spotless Bride, without spot or wrinkle. (Ephesians 5:27)
Praying together, we desire to fulfill the mandate of Psalm 139:
" Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:24
You can join us, any Sunday evening, at 10:00 p.m. EST by calling:
717-908-1983
Access Code: 9301470#
WELCOME!
". . . and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
"Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place." (2 Chronicles 7:14,15)
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About Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
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To learn more about our ministry, and to sign up to begin receiving our daily alerts, please go here.
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Capitol Hill Prayer Partners welcomes all who wish to pray for our leaders to join us in prayer for our nation. You may sign up to receive our alerts by sending an email to us at: chpp1994@gmail.com requesting that your name be added to our list of subscribers or CLICK HERE to subscribe.
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