Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was forced to delay a key vote in the House of Representatives Tuesday as GOP leaders work to quell a burgeoning mutiny within their ranks.
House Republican leaders had planned for a measure in the early afternoon that, if successful, would block the House from voting on reversing President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
It comes after Democrats planned to force such a vote specifically targeting Trump’s tariffs on Canada sometime this week.
But Johnson is dealing with a razor-thin majority and can only afford to lose one vote to still pass anything along partisan lines, which Tuesday’s vote is likely to be.
THESE ARE THE 21 HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHO HELD OUT AGAINST TRUMP, JOHNSON ON $1.2T SPENDING BILL
At least three House Republicans have said they are planning to vote “no” with several others still undecided.
The vote expected to take place on Tuesday is called a “rule vote,” which is a procedural mechanism that sets up terms for debate and final consideration of unrelated pieces of legislation.
Rule votes normally fall along party lines even if the underlying bills have bipartisan support.
HOUSE GOP MAJORITY SHRINKS TO JUST ONE VOTE AS JOHNSON SWEARS IN NEW HOUSE DEMOCRAT
This time, however, House GOP leaders included language in the rule that, if adopted during the rule vote, would block the chamber from considering legislation overturning Trump’s tariffs through at least July.
“The rule is to bring bills to the floor and set the parameters for debate. The purpose is not to sneak in unrelated language that expands the power of leadership at the expense of our members,” Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., told reporters Tuesday morning. “I will not be voting for any rule that has language of that nature.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., confirmed to Fox News Digital he would vote against the rule over concerns with the tariff authority language.
It’s a common frustration among Republicans who believe Congress has ceded too much of its authority, including on tariffs, to the administrative state. But most will not go so far as to block Trump’s foreign trade agenda.
Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., meanwhile, told The Hill that she would also be a “no” vote.
Others, like Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., have not yet shared how they will vote.
Bacon did, however, share an X post Tuesday that signaled he was critical of tariffs’ impact on the U.S. economy.
Multiple House Republicans told Fox News Digital the change in Tuesday’s schedule is both a bid to give GOP leaders more time to corral those “no” votes and work on any outstanding attendance issues.
Nineteen House Republicans did not cast a vote on Monday evening, the first day of this legislative week.
