House GOP clears key hurdle for FISA, ICE funding in dramatic vote
Source: The Hill
04/29/26 1:25 PM ET
House Republican leaders on Wednesday cleared a major hurdle when they corralled members into adopting a rule to tee up consideration of two major pieces of legislation: reauthorization of the nation’s foreign spy powers and a budget blueprint to fund immigration enforcement. The House voted 216-210 along party lines to adopt the rule. To do so, however, Republicans had to agree drop a third piece of legislation initially also part of the same rule: the farm bill, which sets agriculture policy for the next five years.
Adoption of the rule, even with the concession, is a major victory for GOP leaders who held open the vote for more than two hours as they won over holdouts and convinced rebels, one-by-one, to change their votes from “no” to “yes.” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) chatted with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), the first no vote; she later flipped to vote “present” and then to “yes.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who expressed outrage over some of her farm bill amendments not being made in order and long railed against FISA, had reportedly yelled at House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson (R-Pa.) on the floor, and had multiple conversations with leaders — before ulimately voting “yes.” Boebert later told reporters that she would be fighting to deliver on her water provisions she wanted on the farm bill, and was told she would be a conference on the farm bill when the time comes to resolve differences with the Senate. A large group of Republican leaders and holdouts huddled on the floor at one point and Rep. Chip Roy’s (R-Texas) booming voice could be heard from the gallery, as could Boebert’s and Luna’s.
Roy, who opposed a “clean” FISA reauthorization, voted “yes.”. Reps. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Tim Burchett (Tenn.) Keith Self (Texas) and Scott Perry (Pa.) also switched their votes from “no” to “yes.” Various others Republicans who also had been withholding votes also slowly voted yes, including Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Rep. Russel Fry (R-S.C.) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.). Still, the path forward for the bills is uncertain, given late-stage changes to the measures that could very well be rejected by the Senate even if they do pass the House.
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5854744-rule-vote-fisa-farm-bill-dhs-2/
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