Three GOP lawmakers introduced a bill this week banning abortion at conception. Though it is unlikely to even get a vote as written, it is the opening salvo in what's expected to be a fierce fight to drastically restrict abortion access here.
House Republicans want to apply deep cuts to everything from health insurance to food assistance benefits, an effort that would plunge millions more Americans into extreme poverty.
Republican State Rep. Erin Paré wants to force the state's most populous county to become the only one in the state that holds nonpartisan commissioner elections, and requires that members be elected by district, rather than the county at large.
The debt ceiling is a numerical limit, set by Congress, on how much money the federal government can borrow to pay its bills. Increasing the debt ceiling is a routine congressional task, but Republicans want to hold it hostage to make cuts to Social Security and Medicare, even though failing to raise the limit would cause massive economic devastation.
Republicans pushed through temporary rules that omit a longstanding requirement that House leaders give at least two days' notice before holding a vote to override the governor's veto of a bill. The change, which likely will be debated when permanent rules surface, could allow Republicans to complete an override simply because one Democrat leaves to take a phone call.
More than 150 of the 222 House Republicans elected in November voted to overturn the 2020 election results and/or denied the legitimacy of the outcome.
The new Republican-controlled House has thus far failed six separate times to elect a House Speaker—the first time such a debacle has occurred since 1923. Until the new Congress elects a speaker, the House cannot assign members to committees, introduce or vote on legislation, help constituents, or even swear in members.