Last week proved challenging for the Republican Party in the House of Representatives, as it grappled with internal discord and legislative hurdles. Both the move to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the attempt to pass an aid package for Israel on February 6 faced substantial opposition.
The push to impeach Secretary Mayorkas narrowly failed, with a final count of 214-216. The outcome highlighted the internal fractures within the Republican Party, as three GOP representatives – Ken Buck of Colorado, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, and Tom McClintock of California – broke from party lines to vote against the motion. Their dissent underscored the internal disputes within the GOP regarding Mayorkas’ handling of U.S. immigration policies and allegations of public trust violations.
Democrats dismissed the impeachment efforts as unfounded and politically charged, emphasizing the heated nature of the debates that often referenced former President Donald Trump’s contentious border security policies.
These disagreements underscored a growing divide within the House GOP, a sentiment echoed by Representative Ryan Zinke of Montana, pointing to the party’s struggle to advance its legislative priorities.
Furthermore, a bill proposing $17.6 billion in aid to Israel was also rejected in the Republican-controlled House with a vote of 250 to 180. The legislation needed two-thirds support to pass but was met with opposition from 166 Democrats and 14 Republicans. The GOP had seen this bill as a political maneuver against President Biden, but internal disagreements over the package’s contents and approach led to its failure.
In the aftermath of these setbacks, Republican lawmakers voiced their concerns. Representatives Troy Nehls of Texas and Cory Mills of Florida criticized the lack of party unity on crucial votes. At the same time, freshman Representative Mark Alford of Missouri expressed difficulty in achieving legislative consensus. However, some like Representative Eric Burlison of Missouri, maintained optimism for future victories, suggesting that the Mayorkas impeachment vote might have turned out differently if House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, who was absent due to cancer treatment, had been present.
On Tuesday, February 13, the Republicans took another vote, and the House charged Mayorkas with impeachment with a vote of 214-213. The GOP replenished their numbers due to the comeback of Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who returned to Washington after cancer treatment, along with a storm in the Northeast affecting others. This happened despite disagreements within the Republican party.
Four members of Congress, two Democrats and two Republicans, were absent. These were Representatives Judy Chu (D-California), Lois Frankel (D-Florida), Brian Mast (R-Florida) and Maria Salazar (R-Florida). Chu later announced on X that her absence was due to a positive COVID-19 test result.
Mayorkas’ charges are now set to be forwarded to the Senate for a trial. However, there hasn’t been any considerable interest demonstrated towards the matter by either Democratic or some of the Republican senators, hinting that it might be perpetually moved to a committee. The Senate is anticipated to get the impeachment articles from the House upon resuming its session on February 26.
The difficulties the GOP encounters in charting a course in a divided Congress underscore the intricacies of legislative processes and the critical role of party unity in achieving legislative objectives. These recent developments display the continuing struggles within the party to find common ground on key issues while facing opposition.
