GOP Forces House Democrats To Pull DC Voting BillIt's total chaos in the US House of Representatives. I love every minute of it!
House Democrats pulled a bill to grant voting rights to Washington, D.C., after Republicans offered a motion that would repeal the gun ban for the District.
The move is a clear signal that Democrats have lost control of House floor after minority Republicans presented the Democratic majority with a politically unpalatable motion that their conservative members would be forced to support for fear of angering the gun rights community.
Fifty-two Democrats voted with Republicans on a similar measure to repeal the gun ban in 2004. That would be more than enough support for Republcians to add a repeal to the voting rights bill - something a majority of Democrats would vehemently oppose.
Republicans have taken great pride in offering motions to recommit during their time in the minority, an often over-looked legislative procedure that has allowed them to amend various bills on the House floor.
Democratic Rep. Ellen Tauscher of California, who presided in the chair when the House began consideration of the motion, called the postponement at the request of her leadership, saying the speaker has complete discretion to postpone consideration of any legislation at any time.
Democrats scrambled to remedy the situation on the floor but were eventually forced to pull the bill to begin debate on a controversial wartime funding measure that is expected on the floor Friday. Republicans could offer a similar procedural motion to slow consideration of that measure whenever it comes to the floor.
The House was expected to approve the bill to grant Washington, DC, with a vote in the House by a wide margin, with several Republicans expected to vote in favor of the overarching legislation.
The best part is that the Republicans attempted to give Second Amendment rights to Dee Cee and that pushed the Democrats over the edge! Via email:
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement today after Democrats retreated from voting on a proposal to restore Second Amendment rights to the District of Columbia:The guns win again..."On the floor of the House today, House Republicans offered a proposal to restore Second Amendment rights to the residents of the District of Columbia. Fearing that many in their party would support Second Amendment rights for District residents, the Democratic Leadership shamefully exploited a rule to kill debate and postpone the vote indefinitely. This is only the latest in a troubling string of failures by Democrats to keep their promises to the American people. House Republicans remain fully prepared to debate and vote on any proposal affecting the citizens of the District of Columbia."
