Following the recent failed vote on passing a new government spending bill, GOP Rep. Mike Simpson expressed his desire for House Speaker Mike Johnson to replace any members of the House Rules panel who do not support the GOP's funding plan, thus preventing it from advancing to the floor. Simpson emphasized the importance of cooperation within the speaker's committee, stating, 'If I was the speaker and I couldn’t get 'em, I’d replace 'em.'
With the bill failing on suspension, Republicans are now looking to proceed through regular order, which necessitates securing the majority of GOP votes on the House Rules panel. The stance of Reps. Tom Massie, Chip Roy, and Ralph Norman, who are known for their conservative views, remains uncertain regarding their support for the bill in the committee.
These three members were appointed to the panel by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as part of a compromise to secure his position. Massie refrained from providing a clear answer on whether he would back the bill in the Rules committee, while Roy has previously stated his opposition to the bill.
