The GOP may take a bit of a political black eye on Friday, as one Republican House member who opposes the coronavirus economic rescue plan, a plan that has been approved by leaders of both parties, could delay a Friday vote until Saturday and make members of the House fly back to DC from all over the country.
If members fly back they could also be in danger of catching or spreading the virus given their close proximity to each other during any House vote. If this happens Democrats could now take the delay message and fling it right back in the face at the GOP.
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Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) is the House member who may enable them to do it. Although there are other House members of both parties who are backing him up, albeit for different reasons.
He or they might object to a voice vote and demand a quorum.
To have a quorum 216 House members, a majority of the entire House, must be present. Then a vote could be taken. A voice vote is only a shouting of the yeas and nays and the louder response gets the win. Yes, it’s vague and subjective. But it’s useful to quickly pass legislation agreed to by both parties ahead of time.
If Massie demands a quorum the vote would only be delayed a day. But he could become the poster boy for House stalling and he is a Republican.
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House and Senate leadership from both parties have leaned on Massie but he has not budged. The White House has stayed out of it so far but may call him to the Oval Office if the vote approaches and he is still intending to ask for a quorum.
Massie and other Republicans object to leftist spending in the bill that was kept in to garner Democrat support. Democrats believe the bill doesn’t go far enough in spending on those same leftist spending priorities and are currently planning to add the measures they lost this time onto a proposed next bill.
This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on March 27, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.
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Read more at LifeZette:
Mark Cuban eviscerates Chuck Schumer and John Cornyn for failed coronavirus stimulus talks: ‘Do your f***ing job’
Democrats and Schumer surrendering on Senate coronavirus stimulus bill
The gross Chinese ‘wet markets’ where the virus began
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Steve Gruber.
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