GOP hardliners use rare procedural move to block leadership-backed bill

A group of hard-line Republicans joined Democrats in executing a rare procedural move Wednesday that prevented a bill from being voted on in its current form, marking a small but embarrassing blow to the GOP leadership. .

Six Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting a Democrat-led motion to recommit to the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act, bringing the final vote to a successful 210-204. Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Dan Bishop (R.N.C.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Matt Gaetz (R-Florida), Bob Good (R-Va.) and Anna Paulina Luna (R -Florida) everyone voted “yes”.

A motion to recommit essentially sends a piece of legislation back to a House committee, preventing it from being voted on on the floor. It’s the minority party’s last chance to stop or change a bill before a final vote.

Such votes are routine, mundane and predictable, with the minority party voting “yes” and the majority party voting “no”. A successful motion to recommit is extremely rare.

O legislation blocked on Wednesday would make it easier for mining companies to conduct projects on public lands. O motion to renew commitment offered by Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez (DN.M.) called for the addition of an amendment to the legislation that would prohibit any mining company from operating on public lands if the Secretary of the Interior finds that the organization’s parent company is “incorporated, located in, or controlled by an opposing nation.”

After the motion to recommit was passed, the House did not move forward with a final vote on the legislation.

The vote marked a defeat for the Republican Party leadership, which put the bill on the agenda this week. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s (R-La.) office described it as a measure that “supports critical mining projects.”

It remains unclear why the Radicals voted with the Democrats to support the recompromise motion. The Hill reached out to the six Republicans for comment.

Wednesday’s vote was the latest procedural defeat that the Republican Party leadership has suffered in this Congress. Members of the right flank have voted against the rules – which set parameters for debate on legislation – several times this session, maneuvers that have prevented bills from reaching the plenary for debate and a final vote.

The successful motion to recommit comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) faces increasing scrutiny from hard-line conservatives after striking deals with Democrats to fund the government , reauthorize the country’s warrantless surveillance powers, and send aid to embattled U.S. allies abroad — including Ukraine.

Johnson’s support for the government funding bill in March prompted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to introduce a motion to vacate and remove him from the top job. And this week, after votes on US spying powers and sending assistance to Kiev, she announced that she will force a vote on her removal resolution next week – which is set to fail amid growing opposition.

Only two other Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Paul Gosar (Ariz.) — have come out publicly in support of the recall effort. Additionally, the top three Democratic leaders announced this week that they will vote to introduce the resolution if Greene forces a vote on it.