House GOP Gleefully Plans Floor Vote To Split Democrats Over Abolishing ICE

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 22:  U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (R) leaves with House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (L) after a post House Republican Conference meeting news briefing May 22, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. House GOPs gathered for a conference meeting to discuss Republican agenda.  (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 22: U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (R) leaves with House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (L) after a post House Republican Conference meeting news briefing May 22, 20... WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 22: U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (R) leaves with House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (L) after a post House Republican Conference meeting news briefing May 22, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. House GOPs gathered for a conference meeting to discuss Republican agenda. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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House GOP leaders are salivating at the prospect of bringing a bill calling for the abolishment of ICE to a floor vote, forcing Democrats on the record over the divisive issue in an attempt to rend the party asunder before the midterms.

According to a Thursday Politico report, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) told reporters that the vote on Rep. Mark Pocan’s (D-WI) bill to eliminate the agency would happen before the August recess.

Republicans are also considering forcing a vote on “Medicare for All,” another issue where progressives and moderate Democrats are out of step.

Per Politico, Pocan and his co-sponsors—Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY)—say they will opt out of the majority party’s “political stunt” and plan to lead the Democrats in a no vote. However, they are still eager to debate the issue on the House floor.

The bill has caused contention within the Democratic party as well, as members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are livid that they weren’t consulted about the bill in advance, that it hands the GOP a wedge issue when Democrats need a united front and that it distracts from the ongoing crisis of family separations at the border.

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Notable Replies

  1. Rep. Mark Pocan’s (D-WI) bill to eliminate [ICE]

    I admire Pocan but this was foolish.

  2. Per Politico, Pocan and his co-sponsors—Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY)—say they will opt out of the majority party’s “political stunt” and plan to lead the Democrats in a no vote. However, they are still eager to debate the issue on the House floor.

    This in a way reminds me of when the GOP demanded certain concessions and amendments in the ACA yet still voted no in lockstop. Debating the issue on the floor is good but I hope Democrats choose their words carefully to avoid GOP using certain ones for soundbites.

  3. So . . . . . hand the GOP a lifeline when they are drowning. Dems just don’t understand and realize, there is nothing the GOP won’t do to stay in power.

  4. Typical Republican noise. This will backfire them in the same way that the Strzok hearings will backfire on them.

    They hold a vote. Gets turned down 380-55. BFD. Democrats in districts that this doesn’t sell well in can vote no and point to the fact it is legislation they cannot support at this time. Democrats in districts that believe this policy is acceptable can vote yes. I don’t see Democrats who support the legislation getting angry at Democrats who vote against it. I don’t see a “fight” within the Democratic caucus over this.

    In a sense I think the Republicans miss the good old days of Newt Gingrich when they would pull this type of stupid game and actually get some political ground by doing it.

    If anything they are negating a talking point that they will try to run on in November.

    It is alot harder for a Republican candidate to argue that a Democratic candidate is in support of terminating ICE when the Democrat is on record of voting against that policy.

    It is also hard for a Republican incumbent to argue that a Democratic challenger is in favor of eliminating ICE even though they have stated they don’t believe in it AND the party is on record of keeping it in place…unless the Democrat does have that as a policy position.

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