House Republicans have narrowly passed a procedural step Thursday morning to take up the massive 2,232-page spending bill that would keep the government funded through September.
The bill, which comes ahead of a midnight Friday government shutdown deadline, faced major opposition from conservatives about the process of passing the plan through the chamber. It passed 211-207.
The GOP leadership had earlier approached House Democrats to see if they would be willing to help pass the procedural rules vote — which is traditionally a party-line vote that they normally oppose — but according to multiple sources, top House Democratic leaders are not playing ball. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer wanted an immigration vote in return for Democrats’ help passing the procedural vote.
Multiple sources tell CNN that Ryan asked Hoyer to check with his members about how many would be willing to help pass the rule. In return Hoyer has asked for a “queen of the Hill” rule on immigration — meaning that GOP leaders would agree to bring up several immigration measures and the one that gets the most votes would prevail.
“We don’t want to continually bail them out if there’s nothing on the Dream Act,” one senior House Democratic leadership aide told CNN, a reference to immigration legislation that would offer some undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship.
“They are the majority,” Joe Crowley, the chair of the House Democratic Caucus told reporters. “I think they have to pass the rule don’t they?”
At the morning Democratic whip meeting members were urged to oppose the rule to increase leverage to force House Speaker Paul Ryan to bring up immigration legislation. Most Republicans, even if they are unhappy with the substance of the bill don’t break with their leadership on procedural votes, so it would be a major rebuke if enough House GOP members don’t vote for the rule.