House Republicans are planning to try to open up Democrats' $740 billion tax, climate and health care bill to a legal challenge after it passes, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The move is Republicans' way of showing their base that they're going to great lengths to kill the legislation, which is likely to be unanimously opposed by House Republicans.
Why it matters: The move is Republicans' way of showing their base that they're going to great lengths to kill the legislation, which is likely to be unanimously opposed by House Republicans.
- "I would be shocked if anybody [in the GOP] voted for it," said Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), the House Republican chief deputy whip.
- The bill would still pass, but Republicans hope a company affected by the tax provisions in the bill will then sue to challenge the law's constitutionality.
- Fueling their plan is the fact that so many members are voting by proxy: There were 187 active proxy letters as of Friday afternoon, according to the House Clerk's office.
- They added that, if the effort falls apart, Republican members will likely vote how they initially planned to.
- However, the House passed a resolution at the start of the 117th Congress that stipulates proxy votes count toward that quorum.
- However, one of the aides noted that a court has not weighed in on whether proxy votes count toward a quorum under the Constitution — buoying their hope that the matter could at least be adjudicated in court.
- "This is utterly pointless theatrics from a party caught in a toxic MAGA echo chamber and struggling to explain its defense of wealthy tax cheats and Big Pharma profits to the public."
Scoop: GOP plans effort to sabotage Inflation Reduction Act
Republicans hope to open up the bill to a constitutional challenge.
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