Monday night in Washington DC, Republicans managed to do something spectacular – they successfully passed a bill that they promised to do long ago before officially securing the majority in the House. With the passing of this bill, we are just getting a small taste of what the new majority has in store for us throughout this year.
On Monday evening, the House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) convened to consider the rules package for the new Congress, a resolution that included many concessions demanded by conservative members of the House Republican Conference.
According to Townhall, the rules package for the 118th Congress was passed 220-213, the first vote without rampant proxy voting in years, on a House floor that was much less tense than it had been over the weekend before.
Democrats voted against the rules on Monday night that would dramatically alter how the House runs and how legislation is processed, whereas most Republicans backed the rules that were negotiated during the fraught process of electing a speaker last week.
In addition, House members also voted Monday night to rescind over $70 billion in funding to the Internal Revenue Service in order to prevent the agency from hiring 87,000 new agents and conducting new audits. A total of $80 billion has been allocated to the agency in the Inflation Reduction Act over the next 10 years. More than half of the funds were intended to crack down on tax evasion and to fill 87,000 IRS positions.
A vote of 221-210 passed the Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA), rescinding funding that could have been used to double the size of the agency and conduct new audits.
The bill cancels billions of dollars in IRS funding approved in the Inflation Reduction Act of last year. The legislation does, however, leave in place funding for customer service improvements and IT improvements.
In a tweet, House Speaker McCarthy called the passing of the bill, “Promises made, Promises kept.”
McCarthy is right when he said that Promises were made, and those promises were kept! After a long time of anticipation, House Republicans delivered in a substantial way on Monday night. With the passing of the rules package and IRS funding repeal, they have highlighted their mission to finally bring much-needed change to Washington in 2023 and beyond. The bill regarding the IRS promises to rescind over $70 billion in funding from the agency alone – just the beginning of what House Republicans have in store to attack government overreach! If you’ve been waiting for a much-needed shakeup in Washington, this is it – buckle up and cheer knowing that promises are being kept and we’re only just scratching the surface. This is the kind of change we can all get behind!
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