McCarthy at 100 Days: 'The People's House Is a Productive House Again' (April 17, 2023)

One hundred days after Republicans took back the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Congress finally had a chamber that worked. “One thing that is abundantly clear is that the people’s House is a productive House again,” McCarthy said on April 17, 2023, according to 1819 News [1].

“The first thing we did was make sure members showed up to work, no longer stayed at home … We hit the ground running on delivering the commitment to America, and the numbers just speak for themselves,” the Speaker said [1].

He compared his House to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Senate. “The House has passed the Parents Bill of Rights to give the parents a say in their kids’ education,” McCarthy said. “But Senator Schumer did find the time to pass a non-binding resolution designating March 1 as National Assistive Technology Awareness Day, and the list goes on and on.” [1]

The video above shows McCarthy marking the GOP majority’s first 100 days. Quotes are from 1819 News, and vote counts are from the Clerk of the House [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].

”Members Showed Up to Work”

The majority started the hard way. McCarthy won the gavel on Jan. 7, 2023, on the 15th ballot, with 216 votes to 212 for Democrat Hakeem Jeffries and six members voting present, the House roll call shows [2].

It took four days. On the first ballot, on Jan. 3, McCarthy drew 203 votes to 212 for Jeffries, with 10 for Rep. Andy Biggs and six for Rep. Jim Jordan [12]. McCarthy first pulled ahead on Jan. 6, 213 to 211 [13].

Two days after he won, the House adopted its rules package, 220 to 213 [3]. It then passed its first bill, H.R. 23, the “Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act,” 221 to 210. Every Republican voted yes and every Democrat voted no [4].

“If you compare us to the Senate, they’ve had 100 days too,” McCarthy said. “If you compare the number of bills that have been signed into law between the last Congress when Democrats controlled the House, Senate and the presidency, more bills have been signed into law in this Congress than the last even though we have divided government.” [1]

The Commitment to America

McCarthy ran through the list, 1819 News reported: “creating the Select Committee on China, blocking the sale of oil from the strategic oil reserve to China, officially ending the COVID-19 pandemic, passing an anti-ESG bill, which President Joe Biden vetoed in March, and passing the Lower Energy Cost Act.” [1]

The roll calls back him up:

Select Committee on China: H. Res. 11, “Establishing the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party,” passed Jan. 10, 2023, by 365 to 65. All 219 Republicans voting backed it, joined by 146 Democrats [5].
Weaponization subcommittee: H. Res. 12, “Establishing a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government,” passed the same day, 221 to 211 [11].
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act: H.R. 26 passed Jan. 11, 2023, by 220 to 210. Only one Democrat voted yes [6].
Parents Bill of Rights Act: H.R. 5 passed March 24, 2023, by 213 to 208, with no Democratic votes [7].
Lower Energy Costs Act: H.R. 1 passed March 30, 2023, by 225 to 204. Four Democrats joined 221 Republicans [8].

”Protection of Women and Girls in Sports”

McCarthy also promised more. He “vowed to support the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which would keep biological men from competing in women’s sports and pass a debt ceiling,” 1819 News reported [1].

He delivered both within 10 days. The House passed H.R. 734, the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” on April 20, 2023, by 219 to 203. All 219 Republicans voting backed it, and every Democrat voting opposed it [9].

On April 26, the House passed H.R. 2811, the “Limit, Save, Grow Act,” the Republican debt-ceiling plan, by 217 to 215. No Democrat voted for it [10].

”Our Finest Days Are Still Ahead”

Alabama Republicans joined in. “I promise to defend national security, support economic development in North Alabama, and promote strong conservative values. While we have had a successful first 100 days, there is no time to let off the gas pedal. I assure you, our finest days are still ahead,” Rep. Dale Strong said, according to 1819 News [1].

The Republicans “criticized President Joe Biden and other prominent Democrats for lagging behind,” the outlet reported [1].

By the Numbers

15: ballots it took to elect McCarthy Speaker [2].
221-210: the vote on the first bill of the new majority [4].
365-65: the vote to create the China select committee [5].
219-203: the vote on the women’s sports bill [9].
217-215: the vote on the Limit, Save, Grow Act [10].

What Happened Next

Biden reached for his veto pen. The anti-ESG measure McCarthy cited was one “which President Joe Biden vetoed in March,” 1819 News noted [1]. For Biden’s budget chief on Social Security that spring, see HYGO News’ page on March 10, 2023. For Biden asked about McCarthy’s proposed cuts, see the page on May 9, 2023.