Topline

In what’s becoming a trend for this Congress, a group of House Republicans – many of whom are members of the right-wing Freedom Caucus – voted against bipartisan legislation that was passed Thursday by overwhelming margins, in a sign of their increasing willingness to buck their party’s whip.

Key Facts

Just eight House Republicans voted against the Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act, which requires the Federal Trade Commission to compile a report for Congress on scams targeting seniors.

The bill passed 413-8, with Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) voting no.

Seven of those eight, plus Reps. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Jody Hice (R-Ga.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and Pete Sessions (R-Texas) voted against a bill to create an advisory office to help monitor scams targeting seniors, which passed 396-13.

Massie, in a statement to Forbes on his vote against the two bills, cited the national debt as his motivation: “A nation $28 trillion in debt shouldn’t spend unspecified amounts of money on unspecific solutions.”

The passage of those bills was celebrated by many Republicans, with Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan calling the latter an “important bill” and stating he was “proud to support it” in a video posted to Twitter.

Nearly all of the aforementioned lawmakers were among 49 House Republicans who voted against a bill to fund the purchase of carbon monoxide detectors for low-income families, facilities for children and the elderly, and schools.

Key Background

The Freedom Caucus has been causing headaches for leadership in recent weeks, with Greene launching an unsanctioned effort to delay the passage of $1.9 trillion in stimulus spending, which 40 of her GOP colleagues voted against. Twelve House Republicans, mostly Freedom Caucus members, voted against awarding congressional gold medals to law enforcement that responded to the Jan. 6 attack, while 14 voted against condemning a military coup in Myanmar.

Big Number

2. That’s how many House Republicans – Greene and Boebert – voted against the Transplant Act, which reauthorizes the National Blood Marrow Program, which matches bone marrow donors and cord blood units to blood cancer patients. Greene, in a statement to Forbes, said the bill contains “uncertainty about our tax dollars and the purchase of aborted baby body parts,” though the bill appropriates $31 million and authorizes a review of “adult stem cells,” not embryonic stem cells.

What To Watch For

The right wing of the House Republican conference may get even more incendiary and controversial in its votes and tactics. Greene and Gosar are forming a new group called the America First Caucus whose platform vows to “follow in President Trump’s footsteps” and says members should be willing to “step on some toes and sacrifice sacred cows.” Gohmert told Forbes he is “looking” at joining the group.