House Rules Committee

The House Rules Committee advanced the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a must-pass defense bill, and merged the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act with it. The committee approved the rule along party lines by a vote of 8-4.

The House Rules Committee advanced a procedural measure to combine a $1.1 trillion defense policy bill with the SAVE America Act, aiming to resolve a Republican deadlock. The plan faces resistance from GOP hard-liners and is likely to be stripped of the elections overhaul in Senate negotiations. The defense bill includes controversial amendments such as blocking transgender military service and cutting aid to Ukraine.

House Democrats will discuss a vote on cutting U.S. military aid to Israel during a Sunday teleconference. The debate centers on an amendment by Rep. Thomas Massie to a fiscal 2027 spending bill, which would block Israel aid and reduce foreign military aid by $3.3 billion. House Republicans may add the bill to the floor schedule next week after the House Rules Committee approved debate on the amendment.

President Donald Trump urged House GOP hard-liners to end their floor blockade to prevent major bills from being derailed. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and allies threatened to block procedural measures until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act, risking other bills like the Pentagon policy and fiscal 2027 appropriations. Trump also refused to sign a bipartisan housing bill, complicating its passage.

The North Carolina House of Representatives is set to vote on House Bill 958, a controversial election reform bill that passed the House Rules Committee with Republican support but faced opposition over restrictions on overseas voters. The bill includes provisions requiring voter identification for military and overseas voters and allows post-election challenges to early votes, though some contentious elements like a ban on ranked-choice voting were removed.

North Carolina lawmakers are considering a bill to prohibit individuals under 21 from purchasing hemp-derived products, including smokable hemp and kratom, following a reported case of a 14-year-old emergency room patient. The House Agriculture and Environment Committee approved a rewritten version of Senate Bill 59, which imposes fines on businesses that sell these products to minors. The bill includes amendments to cover kratom and will next proceed to the House Rules Committee.

Republican infighting in the House is blocking passage of key Trump agenda items, including a FISA surveillance program extension and a farm bill, as conservative lawmakers withhold support over privacy concerns and procedural disagreements. House GOP leadership canceled votes amid stalled negotiations, with prominent Republicans like Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace threatening to oppose the procedural measure.

Republican infighting in the House is blocking key components of Trump's agenda, including a controversial FISA surveillance program extension and a farm bill. House GOP leadership canceled votes as conservative holdouts resist supporting the measures without reforms, with a critical deadline looming for the FISA renewal.

The House Rules Committee advanced three major bills after a marathon hearing, with Republican leaders ending GOP infighting by adding provisions to satisfy corn-state Republicans and hardline conservatives. However, the bills' final passage remains uncertain.

House GOP leadership faces challenges from privacy-focused Republicans as they attempt to renew Section 702 of the FISA surveillance law before a looming deadline. The House Rules Committee postponed a procedural vote on the extension due to GOP divisions over privacy safeguards, raising doubts about Speaker Mike Johnson's ability to secure passage by April 30. The Senate is advancing its own extension bill, complicating House efforts.

House GOP leadership faces internal revolt from privacy hawks over FISA renewal as the House Rules Committee postponed a vote on extending Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The divided Republicans oppose the current proposal for lacking warrant requirements, raising doubts about Speaker Mike Johnson securing passage before the April 30 deadline.

The U.S. House is preparing for a contentious vote on renewing warrantless spy powers. The House Rules Committee passed a clean extension of these powers, blocking amendments despite opposition from some conservative members.