Moderate House Republicans from New York sent a warning shot to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) on Tuesday, coming very close to blocking legislative action on the House floor in protest of the bipartisan, bicameral tax deal (TEXT; JCT MEMO) not including an increase in the state and local tax deduction (SALT). Taking a page out of the playbook normally used by hardline conservatives, four moderate New York Republicans — Representatives Anthony D’Esposito, Andrew Garbarino, Nick LaLota and Mike Lawler — initially joined Democrats in voting against a procedural rule for four unrelated pieces of legislation, enough opposition to sink the effort and shut down business on the floor. After nearly 40 minutes, the four moderate New Yorkers switched their vote in support of the rule, allowing the procedural vote to squeak through, 216-210. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, a bipartisan compromise struck between House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), would expand the child tax credit by increasing the maximum credit per child from $1,600 to $2,000 until the end of 2025, while also restoring business deductions for research development costs, interest payments and capital investments, among other provisions. It advanced out of the Ways and Means Committee earlier this month in a resounding 40-3 vote, with all Republicans on the panel voting in favor. House Leadership is expected to try to pass the bill on the suspension calendar tonight.
For today, the Senate convened at 10:00 A.M. and will consider the nomination of Kirk Edward Sherriff to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California, the nomination of Karoline Mehalchick to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the nomination of Joseph Goffman to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The House convened at 12:00 P.M. for legislative business and will consider H.R. 6678 – Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act, H.R. 6679 – No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act and under suspension of the Rules will likely take up H.R. 7024 – Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.
