Incoming House GOP Minority Discussing How To Keep Members On The Reservation With New Rule

House Republicans may begin disciplining members who vote against their agenda when they are in the minority.

House Republican leadership did not crack the whip on members who broke with their agenda while they were in the majority compared to how Democratic leaders kept their caucus in line. Incoming House Minority Leader Jim Jordan and other members of the upcoming leadership are considering being tougher on holdouts despite being in the minority, which could set a precedent for the party when they are in the majority again, sources told Politico.

Republican Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson said several colleagues brought up the idea during the closed-door leadership election on Tuesday. He said during the meeting he had never seen so many internal rebellions as Republicans faced over the previous two years, and that many members want to prevent that behavior going forward.

Jordan’s, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s and Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain’s offices did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Republicans frequently broke with their caucus on rules votes and legislation without the threat of serious punishments, such as losing their committee assignments. Nine rules votes have failed on House Speaker Mike Johnson’s watch, while no rules votes failed to pass under former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s leadership.

House GOP leaders have not used their powers to cut spending, ban Flock Safety cameras and other automated surveillance technologies, fight against President Donald Trump’s war against Iran or codify his immigration executive orders. Several Republican members introduced legislation to restrict Flock cameras, such as withholding funding to local municipalities that use these cameras, but not a single member introduced a bill to outright ban those technologies.

Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said Friday she was opposed to the move, according to Politico.

“There’s a difference between going against a rule and effectively preventing us from being able to legislate,” Luna said. “They’re effectively trying to control us.”

Luna and 12 other Republicans voted against a procedural vote to debate attaching the SAVE America Act to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Luna agreed to vote in favor of a rule to reopen the floor on July 14 if the SAVE America Act was attached to every appropriations bill.

Nineteen Republicans voted with Democrats against reauthorizing warrantless spying in Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), including Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Lauren Boebert of Colorado.

Democratic leadership threatened to punish Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington for voting with Republicans to pass a rule in September.

“The decision by two of our colleagues to blindside the entire House Democratic Caucus and join with the Republican majority to pass a procedural rule on the brink of failing represents a significant breach of trust. It is an action that necessitates a serious response, and we have asked the Committee on Caucus Rules to take this up in short order.”

Under Pelosi’s leadership, members who voted down a rule or broke with leadership’s agenda faced strict consequences. She denied former Democratic New York Rep. Kathleen Rice a seat on the House Judiciary Committee after she voted against Pelosi for speaker. She awarded members who endorsed her leadership after previously opposing her in a November 2018 letter.

Democratic Texas Rep. Filemon Vela initially led the effort to oppose Pelosi and signed the letter, though he flipped his position once Pelosi became speaker and got a seat on the Armed Services Committee, which was seen as an explicit reward.

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