There was a clash between Republican members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon as members of the House Freedom Caucus torpedoed a rule vote on the floor of the lower chamber, reportedly the first time such a procedural tactic had been used in years.
The vote was on the rule for H.R.463, House Republicans' bill to prohibit the use of Federal funds to ban gas stoves, and it failed 206-220 with 12 members of the House GOP Conference voting against the rule: Reps. Andy Biggs (AZ), Dan Bishop (NC), Lauren Boebert (CO), Ken Buck (CO), Tim Burchett (TN), Eli Crane (AZ), Matt Gaetz (FL), Bob Good (VA), Ralph Norman (SC), Matt Rosendale (MT), Chip Roy (TX). House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) also voted against the rule in order to preserve his ability to bring the rule back to the floor for a vote at a later time.
1) House GOPers block their own party from bringing up bill to prohibit use of federal funds to ban gas stoves
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 6, 2023
The House uncharacteristically defeated the “rule” providing for the parameters to consider the gas stove legislation. The vote 220 to 206 to block the rule.
The move to block the House from moving forward with consideration of the Republican bill was done as an act of protest against GOP leadership, launched by the 11 lawmakers to register their disapproval of the way the deal to avert a debt default was handled.
2) Fox is told this is a protest by GOPers over being compelled by the GOP brass to vote for the rule last week on the debt ceiling bill. GOPers needed Dems to get that rule across the finish line. Otherwise, the Hse could not have debated the debt limit bill
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 6, 2023
The showdown was also, according to "no"-voting Rep. Bishop, an ambush on leadership:
C) Bishop says conservatives did not tell the GOP brass their plan to blow up the rule for the gas stove bill
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 6, 2023
According to Rep. Burchett, another of the "no" votes on the rule, explained that the main issue was how Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) — who voted for the rule on Tuesday — was allegedly threatened by leadership that a bill of his wouldn't be brought to the floor if he didn't vote for the rule to pass the debt deal.
Says leadership should’ve denounced it
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) June 6, 2023
“So I sent a clear message.”
Clyde said he believes his bill to repeal the ATF's pistol brace rule will be brought to the floor for a vote and "has enough votes to pass," but isn't sure the House's Republican leaders got the "message" sent by the 11 Republicans' surprise torpedoing of Tuesday's rule vote.
Clyde on his bill: “I think it has enough votes to pass. In fact, I think it will pass in a bipartisan way too because I'm very confident that there will be Democrats who vote for it as well. So I think it will pass.”
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) June 6, 2023
Asked if he thought their message to leadership got through/lesson learned, Clyde replies: "I don't know. We'll see." https://t.co/sX1WvkKHUe
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) June 6, 2023
This is a developing story and may be updated.