Trump agenda upended after GOP rebellion shuts down House floor

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House debates proxy voting for new parents in Congress

Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram explains a proposal to allow proxy voting for new parents in Congress on ‘Fox News Live.’

A normally sleepy procedural vote ended in drama for the House of Representatives after a rebellion by nine Republicans against their own party forced chamber proceedings for the week to grind to a halt.

It puts the future in question for two key bills backed by the Trump administration that were slated to get a vote on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters that votes were canceled for the rest of the week in comments condemning the mutiny.

"It's a very disappointing result on the floor there, a handful of Republicans joined with all the Democrats to take down a rule. That's rarely done. It's very unfortunate," Johnson said. "That rule being brought down means that we can't have any further action on the floor this week."

Speaker Mike Johnson is battling a GOP mutiny that has temporarily stalled President Trump's agenda in Congress. (Getty Images)

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It's an embarrassing setback for House Republican leadership, who put on a full court press for both pieces of legislation.

A "rule vote" is not an expression of support or opposition for any specific measure. Rather, it's a procedural hurdle, normally falling along party lines, that allows for the House to begin debate and eventually vote on whatever bills the rule is covering.

In this case, the "rule" would have allowed for debate and floor consideration of bills that would have limited district judges' ability to levy nationwide injunctions and would have mandated proof of citizenship to register to vote, respectively.

It comes amid a weekslong battle over the ability to vote remotely for new parents in Congress.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., has been leading a bipartisan push for legislation that would allow new parents in the House to vote remotely for 12 weeks surrounding their child's birth.

She attempted to force the bill onto the floor via a mechanism called a "discharge petition," which would effectively end-run leaders to hold a House-wide vote on legislation, provided the petition gets support from a simple majority of the House.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.? (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Lawmakers rarely, if ever, lead discharge petitions against their own party. But Luna's was poised for success with support from Democrats and some fellow Republicans. 

House GOP leaders attempted to block it, however, by inserting language in an unrelated "rules" package on Monday night that would have effectively prevented Luna's bill from getting a vote.

That rules package would have opened debate for the No Rogue Rulings Act by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and the Safeguarding Voter Eligibility Act by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.

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It sparked a backlash among Republicans who either supported Luna's efforts or opposed leaders' attempts to change previously agreed-upon House rules – and in most cases, a combination of both.

"I think that today is a pretty historical day for the entire conference and showing that, yeah, the body has decided that parents deserve a voice in Washington and also to the importance of female members having a vote in Washington D.C.," Luna told reporters after the vote.

Meanwhile, a source familiar with the House Rules Committee told Fox News Digital that some Republicans on that panel were frustrated at being kept in the dark by House leaders until the final moments before their committee vote on Tuesday morning. All Republicans on the committee voted for the rule, however.

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., supported Luna's effort. (Alex Wong)

Reps. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., Greg Steube, R-Fla., Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., Max Miller, R-Ohio, and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., were among those who voted to kill the rule.

"I could not in good conscience vote for an unprecedented rule that would pull the rug out from under Representative Luna's discharge petition that got the required signatures fair and square," Miller said in a statement after the vote. 

"I cannot imagine a mother, who has spent 9 months going through the wringer, being told that you can't be with your infant because you are one of 435 people."

Democrats broke out into applause after the legislation failed.

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House GOP leaders could still call an emergency session of the House Rules Committee to consider modified language that does not target discharge petitions.

One House Republican, however, suggested it was better for lawmakers to be sent home for the week.

"Lots of torn up feelings. Might be better to press pause for a couple of days," that GOP lawmaker said.