House GOP Breaks Record for Most Votes Blocking Their Own Agenda, Still Blames Senate

KEY POINTS

•Speaker Mike Johnson faced his ninth failed House rule vote last week, tanked by 13 Republicans twisted over the SAVE Act.
•Repeated shutdowns over unrelated demands disrupted the National Defense Authorization Act and caused the House to end its week early.
•Johnson aims to pass the SAVE Act through Senate reconciliation, but some hardliners want a bigger fight and time is running out.

Speaker Mike Johnson, wielding the power of a beleaguered coach whose star players refuse to show up, oversaw the ninth failed House floor rule vote in under three years—this time tanked by a gang of 13 rebellious Republicans who treat procedural votes like VIP passes to a political temper tantrum. These small-block conservatives have weaponized the once-routine rubber stamp into an obstacle course, causing the fifth failed rule vote this session and 12 total since January 2023, after two decades of smooth sailing. Last week's meltdown sabotaged the National Defense Authorization Act because it skipped an amendment for the SAVE Act, the GOP’s favorite fraught election bill. Johnson threw in the towel midweek, sending everyone home to celebrate July 4 while hoping to sneak the SAVE Act through reconciliation before midterms snatch the calendar away. Yet hardliners grumble grants aren’t radical enough and the clock on passing a third reconciliation bill is ticking louder than a political grenade. Rep. Carlos Giménez dismissively pointed towards the Senate and joked about wishful thinking, while Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick quoted wisdom so blunt it made sanity sounds lavish: 'That's insane, and I don't play insane.'