In the majority, House Republicans used to scoff at motions to recommit legislation back to committee as silly, partisan ploys.
This year, the GOP has embraced the legislative tool with mischievous delight to alter bills on the floor and highlight divisions in the Democratic Caucus.
So far, Republicans have accomplished the rare -- if little noticed -- feat of getting seven motions to recommit approved this year with the support of at least 55 Democrats on each vote.
H.R. 569 - 425-0
H.R. 700 - 427-0
H.R. 720 - 359-56
H.R. 985 - 426-0
H.R. 1362 - 309-114
H.R. 1227 - 249-176
H.R. 1401 - 304-121
Another motion to recommit offered stopped a vote from happening altogether.That success prompted Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) to declare that Democrats will now offer stronger opposition to any motions that would scuttle the overall legislation.
This comes after Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) threatened to do everything in his power to bring the House to a screeching halt if the majority created any new obstacles for the minority to offer such motions.
Republicans forced Democrats to withdraw the D.C. voting rights bill by offering a motion to repeal the District's gun ban, which would prompt most pro-gun Democrats to back the measure. Fifty-two Democrats voted to repeal the ban in 2004, so Hoyer and his fellow leaders pulled the legislation to prevent a clear majority from recommitting the bill to committee.Right after the Virginia Tech shootings, with guns temporarily neutralized as a political issue, the House majority took advantage of the opportunity and again brought up the D.C. voting rights bill again.
This time the Republicans instead offered a motion to recommit related to judicial review. Not passing, this failure snapped the Republicans winning streak on motions to recommit.
Despite Steny Hoyer's best efforts, there have been victories on motions to recommit since then. These will be covered in a subsequent post.
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