Johnson Sets Vote on Tax Bill Conservatives Call ‘Trojan Horse to Expand Welfare’ for Illegal Aliens
Bradley Jaye 31 Jan 2024
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is rushing through a tax bill unveiled days ago over significant policy objections from both conservative and centrist factions of the Republican Party.
Conservatives have spoken out against provisions in the bill they see as handouts to illegal immigrants, particularly an expansion of the Child Tax Credit without language requiring the parent to have a Social Security number. They argue the expansion would serve as an additional powerful migration pull, even as migrant encounters at the border reach record highs under President Joe Biden.
That tax credit fight takes place as Senate negotiators continue seeking a separate compromise on border security and foreign aid. In that fight, conservatives have accused Democrats of prioritizing policies that would alleviate border bottlenecks by more speedily processing migrants and hiding and housing those already here instead of deterring future migration in an election year ploy to obscure the severity of the border crisis and show action, even if contrary to the American interest.
Johnson indicated Wednesday morning he would move the bill later in the evening under suspension of the rules. “Suspension votes” require two-thirds support – but allow for speedier passage – and are generally used for non-controversial or low-profile votes, like renaming post offices.
However, Johnson is signaling a new normal for suspension votes that could sidestep opposition in his own party. Only weeks ago he suspended the rules to move another consequential piece of legislation – a continuing resolution which extended government funding levels and priorities enacted in December 2022 by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) during a lame duck Congress.
That bill enjoyed overwhelming Democrat support. Johnson secured majority Republican support of the bill by only one vote, garnering 107 in support over 106 nays. But Breitbart News learned that Johnson secured a last-minute switch to yes in order to achieve a majority.
more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/01/31/johnson-sets-vote-on-tax-bill-conservatives-call-trojan-horse-to-expand-welfare-for-illegal-aliens/