As the year ends, GOP-led House did little but sow chaos in Congress | Editorial
Infighting and a baseless presidential impeachment inquiry took center stage over meaningfully addressing the budget, the southern border, and two wars.
Republican control of the U.S. House of Representatives resulted in a year of dysfunction and paralysis. But the members outdid themselves by leaving Washington without passing major budget bills, let alone addressing the broken asylum system or providing needed aid to support allies in Ukraine.
The 118th Congress will go down as the least productive since the Great Depression.
The folly in the House was underscored when the GOP voted last week to launch an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden despite a lengthy investigation that turned up zero evidence of wrongdoing. After dodging pressing matters surrounding the budget, the southern border, and two wars, the House did find time to pass a resolution to undo a ban on whole milk in public schools.
» READ MORE: In ousting of House speaker, congressional dysfunction hits a new low | Editorial
Pennsylvania’s Lloyd Smucker added to the unseriousness with his pun-laden call for support of whole milk. “Let’s not skim over the facts here: Whole milk is truly the cream of the crop in delivering these key vitamins and nutrients to growing children,” said the Lancaster County Republican.
It was a fitting finish for the House, which began the year in chaos and went downhill from there. Recall the embarrassment as the GOP struggled through the unprecedented 15 votes over four days just to elect Kevin McCarthy as speaker.
A battered McCarthy lasted only nine months before his Republican colleagues ousted him — essentially for working with Democrats to keep the government operating — marking the first time in U.S. history a speaker had been voted out. McCarthy completed his downfall by announcing plans to resign at the end of the year.
Frustrated by the dysfunction, McCarthy joined more than 30 Republican and Democratic lawmakers who announced plans not to seek reelection next year.
The problem rests with the far-right Republicans in the House — including several from Pennsylvania — who are not interested in governing or compromise. In fact, they are a threat to democracy.
New House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) tried to overturn the 2020 election. Other prominent GOP House members who also promoted false claims the election was stolen continue to disgrace the House.
They include: Rep. Jim Jordan, the firebrand from Ohio who was accused in 2018 of covering up sexual abuse allegations by a team doctor while working as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University in the 1980s and 1990s. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who was ensnared in a sex trafficking investigation involving an underage girl, but was not charged with wrongdoing. And Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who has promoted several conspiracy theories, including that Sept. 11 was a hoax.
The Republican shamelessness reached its nadir with New York Rep. George Santos, who lied his way into office and was quickly indicted on corruption charges and accusations of misspending campaign money. One of the few positive things the House did this year was expel Santos, making him the first representative kicked out without having fought for the Confederacy or been convicted of a crime.
» READ MORE: Trump’s looming dictatorship is the only real winner in House speaker debacle | Will Bunch
Beyond the embarrassment and attacks on democracy, the Republicans in the House approved measures earlier in the year that would actually harm their own constituents, by voting to cut spending on a wide range of programs that provide health care, housing, and food assistance.
Yet as many Americans struggle, members of Congress enjoy an annual salary of $174,000, as well as up to 239 days off, excellent health care, free airport parking, a gym membership, and a pension after just five years of service.
Even Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican hard-liner from Texas, acknowledged how little the House has done when he implored his colleagues to “give me one thing — one! — that I can go campaign on and say we did.”
This is where the do-nothings meet the know-nothings in Congress. With the GOP’s slim control of the House up for grabs next year, it will be up to voters to make a change.