Several lawmakers expressed firm opposition to voting for the funding measure, saying they are a "hell no," sources told Axios. But another group of top Democrats also offered points in favor of the bill, including two former top party leaders, sources said. Driving the news: On the call, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) recounted to members how he told Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Saturday not to rely on Democratic votes to pass the bill, sources said.
Massie told Axios he's worried the tool may not survive its newfound popularity. He called it a "last vestige of democracy." "The Speaker, because he's not giving an outlet for legislative pursuits, the things we got elected to do, he's probably going to see more of these discharge petitions," Massie told Axios. Massie said he's "brainstorming" ideas for more discharge petitions with his Democratic colleagues.
But Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and other House Republicans aren't sympathetic to the rationale. While they aren't demanding the language be stripped from the government funding billwhich would punt it back to the Senate and delay the reopening of the governmentthey are instead pressing for a future vote on a separate, standalone piece of legislation that would invalidate the provision.
Legislators are making fast work on Gov. Gavin Newsom's redistricting proposal this week but not without some procedural hiccups led by Republicans who oppose the effort. Elections committees in both the state Assembly and Senate on Tuesday, Aug. 19, heard the legislation that would call a special election in November over proposed new, partisan congressional maps. The upper chamber's hearing was relatively straightforward albeit some Senate Republicans who are not members of the committee were upset they were not allowed to ask questions.