Right-Wing House Republican Demands Color Early Agenda

The hard-right wing of the Republican party in the House has written a letter to Speaker Johnson (R-LA) listing their demands for their support of early legislative initiatives this year. They include legislation to expand health savings accounts (HSAs), and “real” spending cuts “in place” ahead of approving a debt limit increase.

Eleven members of the Freedom Caucus, the House group that has long been a thorn in the side of the House leadership, told Speaker Johnson that to gain their support (and remember, the House GOP has only a zero-to-two vote majority), he must:

1. Keep the House in session five days/week for first 10 weeks
2. Ensure that the reconciliation package requires reductions in both spending and the federal deficit
3. Guarantee that members can offer amendments, and enforce the 72-hour rule (the rule that requires 72 hours between the release of legislation and bringing it to the House floor for a vote)
4. Put on floor legislation that secures the border
5. Cut inflationary spending to guarantee deficit reduction and a rapid path to a balanced budget
6. Not allow an increase in federal borrowing (address the debt limit) prior to real spending cuts agreed to and in place
7. Reverse Biden policies including the student loan "bailout," electric vehicle mandates, and Green New Deal subsidies
8. Expand health savings accounts (HSAs) and free them from costly regulations
9. Ensure that election law allows only citizens to vote
10. End stock trading by members of Congress

Prospects: The Freedom Caucus letter came just after the caucus’ members voted – with visible reluctance – to elect Johnson as Speaker of the House. It is a sign of difficulties to come. Compliance with these demands will be difficult, if not impossible, and failure to meet these demands would set up a need to negotiate with Democrats to enact such must-do legislation as funding the government past March 14 and addressing the debt limit. That, in turn, could spark a move by Freedom Caucus members to depose Speaker Johnson (per the rules, it would take only nine of them to bring the motion to vacate).

The bottom line is that House Republicans face significant challenges in moving the early agenda.

NAIFA Staff Contacts: Diane Boyle – Senior Vice President – Government Relations, at dboyle@naifa.org; or Jayne Fitzgerald – Director – Government Relations, at jfitzgerald@naifa.org; or Mike Hedge – Senior Director – Government Relations, at mhedge@naifa.org.