The House floor is frozen as Republicans and Democrats trade accusations about a controversial veterans bill that unexpectedly passed by voice vote Wednesday afternoon.
Republicans say Democrats simply neglected to ask for a roll-call vote, allowing the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act to immediately move to the Senate.
But a top Democrat accused GOP leaders of “trickery” in passing the bill, which had previously been pulled from the floor back in July due to bipartisan opposition.
A controversial provision in the bill would expand benefits for some individuals by paying for it with cuts to some future disability claims — something Democrats have largely opposed.
Rep. Mark Takano of California, the top Democrat on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said he and his staff were “engaged in negotiations” about last-minute changes to the bill — drawing them away from the podium — when the measure was passed. He said no Democrat asked for the recorded tally “because of the treachery and trickery of the majority.”
“While these negotiations are going, they rammed through this vote,” he said.
House Majority Steve Scalise blamed Democrats after the vote and said the bill is “already passed” and that Democrats had no grounds to reverse it.
“If a few of them want to go voice their objections, they can go and make it clear on the House floor why they're against our veterans on Veterans Day,” he said about the dustup. “But I was proud to support it.”
The House is now in recess as Democrats explore ways to reverse the vote. Scalise said the only way that could be done is through a unanimous consent request.
“And, of course, you saw there's tremendous support for the bill,” he added.
Takano said he was “walking through all of our options” and said he was frustrated by the GOP posture: “They're insisting on sending text that's not been fully agreed to, send it over to the Senate.”
Rep. Ted Lieu of California, the No. 4 Democratic leader, offered sharper criticism, calling the move “shameful.”
“To do this on Veterans Day is particularly unconscionable,” he added.
It’s the second apparent floor snafu for House Democrats in as many days. An impeachment resolution targeting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth failed Tuesday after nearly a dozen Democrats failed to show up for the vote. Several said they had gotten stuck in traffic.
The House is expected to vote Thursday on another veterans bill, the Richard Star Act, that would increase retirement payouts for around 50,000 combat-injured veterans. That bill was forced to the floor by a discharge petition, sidestepping opposition from GOP leaders, and it does not contain the provision that has made the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act so controversial.
Kelsey Brugger contributed to this report.
