As House Republicans prepared to pass a parental rights bill – a signature plank of their governing agenda – GOP leaders ran into unexpected headwinds.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who is tasked with counting votes, began picking up on concerns from conservatives who thought the measure was federal overreach and moderates who worried about potential amendments related to transgender students.
Even Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, a member of Emmer’s whip team, informed leadership he would be voting against the bill – prompting grumbling from some senior Republicans who mused about kicking him off the whip team, according to sources familiar with the internal conversations.
And when it came time for the floor vote, a last-minute hiccup – GOP Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas accidentally voting against the bill – prompted Emmer and other leaders to swarm Nehls on the floor and urge him to change his vote, a frantic scene as the clock ticked down and the measure’s fate hung in the balance.
In the end, the bill wound up narrowly passing with five Republican defections – a margin that would have been enough to sink the legislation, had it not been for 10 Democratic absences.
“Nobody ever said it was going to be easy,” Emmer told CNN in a phone interview. “You’re dealing with a whole bunch of people with a whole bunch of personalities, different points of view. (The amendment process) is an exciting process when members are able to come to the floor with an idea to impact a piece of legislation. … It’s always a challenge though.”
Asked about Buck defying leadership on the education bill, Emmer said they are not booting him from the whip team, but he did joke about getting retribution.
“I told him instead, we’re going to add a couple people to his whip card that will give him just a little bit more work,” Emmer said.
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