At the 11th hour, House Democrats delayed action on the National Defense Authorization Act after the Congressional Black Caucus made a push for an accompanying vote on voting rights protections.
According to The Hill, the $847 billion defense bill was expected to pass the lower chamber on Wednesday. But plans changed after the CBC, led by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, demanded another bill on voting rights be taken up simultaneously.
"As we speak," political journalist Lisa Desjardins told PBS on Wednesday, "congressional Democrats are not just thinking about the fact that they will no longer control the House. But as that disappears, they will not be able to really pass legislation of significance probably for the next two years. So they are looking for any must-pass legislation to get any of their last bills out.
"This defense authorization bill could be the last major bill to pass in Congress. What's happened tonight is the Congressional Black Caucus is meeting. Their votes are needed for this defense authorization bill. They are thinking of withholding those votes in order to get a prominent voting rights bill attached to this defense bill.
"I know it sounds like it doesn't make sense," she added, "but this could be one of the last trains out of Congress this year. I think it is a long shot for them to attach that bill, but they are hoping to get some kind of voting rights legislation attached because they are concerned this could be one of, if not the, last major bills to leave Congress."
It is currently unclear what trajectory the Respect for Marriage Act will take tonight.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.