This vote was on a rule for floor debate of the farm bill. House Republican leadership attached language to the rule prohibiting lawmakers from debating whether the United States should be involved in a war in Yemen, a provision completely unrelated to the farm bill.

The provision, stealthily attached to this rule, said privilege “shall not apply during the remainder of the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress to a concurrent resolution introduced pursuant to … the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544) with respect to Yemen."

Privilege allows lawmakers to force debate and votes on resolutions in the House. By prohibiting lawmakers from debating U.S. involvement in Yemen, House leadership subverted Congress’ constitutional duty to declare war before U.S. military action.

This provision ceded Congress’ Article I constitutional authority to debate and declare war to the executive branch, violating the original intent of the Constitution. The manner in which it was attached to the rules for an unrelated bill represents the worst of the D.C. Swamp.

The House of Representatives agreed to the rule on December 12, 2018, at 2:08 p.m. in a roll call vote of 206 – 203.

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CR position: NO