House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is ramping up efforts to win over GOP holdouts as a weekslong legislative blockade shows early signs of breaking.
House Republicans are set to meet on Tuesday morning as a conference for the first time since leaving Washington last month after a GOP blockade froze the floor, forcing GOP leadership to scrap votes two weeks in a row.
Johnson, who is preparing to bring a procedural measure to the floor on Tuesday afternoon, will have to get the GOP holdouts, who are demanding that the Senate pass the SAVE America Act and that President Donald Trump’s border policies be codified, on board if he hopes to reopen the floor this week.
It’s a tall order, with several Republicans having opposed a procedural rule vote on the House floor on June 30. But Johnson has reasons to hope this week could bring an end to the blockade.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), who is leading the faction of Republicans demanding passage of the SAVE America Act, which requires voter ID to cast a ballot and proof of citizenship to register to vote nationwide, signaled in a post on X that she would vote to reopen the floor.
Luna said she would support Johnson’s strategy to merge the SAVE America Act with the National Security and State appropriations bill upon passage in the House. However, the Florida congresswoman noted her support was “on the condition that Speaker Johnson attaches the SAVE America Act to all the appropriation bills and all must-pass bills here in the House and ensures it is sent to the Senate as one bill.”
“If John Thune strips it out in the Senate that will be on him and the entire country should be watching what he does,” Luna posted. “If he wants to actively work against Voter I.D. & the SAVE America Act he must face the consequences of his actions. His State party should censure him and/or he should be primaried if he wants to betray his constituents in this manner. That is the nature of politics.”
The House has previously passed the SAVE America Act, but it’s stalled in the Senate because of insufficient support to break the chamber’s 60-vote filibuster threshold.
Luna’s post comes as leadership included a measure to make daylight saving time permanent, a top priority for Florida Republicans, as a pot sweetener for Luna in this week’s procedural rule.
But while Johnson’s struggle with Luna might be coming to an end, the speaker must still get another faction of GOP holdouts, who felt leadership did not fulfill its promise to vote on codifying Trump’s border policies ahead of the July 4 recess, to vote yes as well.
Given the slim Republican majority, Johnson can only afford to lose three GOP votes on any measure before having to rely on Democrats.
House Republican leadership had hoped that an appearance from Vice President JD Vance at their Tuesday morning conference would help smooth over divisions in the conference, but those hopes were dashed after the vice president canceled his expected visit over a scheduling conflict, a source familiar told the Washington Examiner.
While Vance will not be addressing the conference, the White House has gotten involved in ending the blockade. Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought attended a meeting with the House Freedom Caucus, which includes several of the holdouts, on Monday evening, a source familiar told the Washington Examiner.
Vought discussed possible frameworks for a third reconciliation bill, in which leadership hopes to include elements of the SAVE America Act. House Republicans are hoping to mark up a framework for the third party-line bill as soon as Wednesday.
The OMB director also talked with members about making codifying Trump’s border policies “a top priority” before the lower chamber leaves for its monthlong August recess, according to the source.
Republican hard-liners are skeptical that the SAVE America Act can pass through reconciliation, as it would have to pass through Senate rules, though Johnson has plans to include parts of the voter ID bill by implementing a grant program.
The source familiar told the Washington Examiner that discussions are “ongoing” and that there are still questions about passing the legislation through the budget bill and not in regular order.
Several House Freedom Caucus members told reporters headed to the meeting that they were undecided on the rule and wanted to see where the caucus stood during their Monday evening meeting.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) told reporters that in order for him to support the procedural measure, he wanted to see “a markup on the border stuff.”
When asked if he trusted Johnson’s word, Perry said, “Well, look, everybody has the best of intentions, but unfortunately, the road to Hades is paved with good intentions.”
He continued, “So show me, don’t tell me. That’s kind of where we are.”
VANCE CANCELS APPEARANCE IN FRONT OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS AS BLOCKADE THREATENS GOP AGENDA
In a bad sign for Johnson, however, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) told reporters he was a no unless something changes with respect to codifying border security and birthright citizenship, among other issues.
“It’s not about promises at this point,” Roy said. “We need to see movement for me on this point with the rule, but we’ll see.”
