New conservative rebellion may emerge in rule vote

A routine procedural vote on Thursday could become the vehicle for a conservative protest against House GOP leadership for punishing lawmakers who voted against Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) this week.

Before voting on legislation requiring only a simple majority to pass, the House must adopt a “rule” that sets parameters for floor debate. Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas), one of the 25 Republicans who opposed Boehner’s bid for a third term as Speaker, urged Republicans to vote against the rule until the two former members of the House Rules Committee are reinstated.

{mosads}”Two members taken off Rules Cmte yesterday after voting for a dif House speaker. Let’s all vote “NO” on all rules until they’re put back on!” Weber tweeted Wednesday.

Those booted members off the influential panel, which determines how bills are considered on the floor, were Florida Republican Reps. Daniel Webster and Rich Nugent. Weber himself claims he also faced payback for voting for Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) for Speaker by being removed as the sponsor of a noncontroversial bill regarding low-dose radiation research this week.

Nugent said that he wouldn’t join in voting against the rule despite losing his committee slot.

“Thx for support, but Jobs & Keystone is more important to me than a committee slot.  I’m voting Yes on Rule,” Nugent tweeted Thursday. 

The House is slated to vote on a rule for consideration of a bill to establish that a full-time workweek should be 40 hours instead of 30 hours under the healthcare law.

If conservatives successfully derail the rule, the House subsequently would be unable to move to consider the ObamaCare bill and a measure to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

A vote on the rule is expected around 1-2 p.m.

This story was updated at 12:31 p.m.