House Republicans are forcing Democrats to go on record this week on two questions the GOP says the left has been dodging for months: do you support socialism, and do you want to pack the Supreme Court.
The House Rules Committee advanced a resolution Monday condemning socialism, with every Democrat on the committee voting against moving it forward. A full House vote on the resolution is scheduled for Tuesday evening, with a procedural rule vote Tuesday afternoon, according to a provisional schedule obtained by Fox News Digital.
Democrats dismissed the measure as political theater. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., called it “nonsense” that does nothing about the cost of living. “So you’re concerned about rising gas, or are you concerned about grocery prices? You know, don’t worry. Republicans in Congress are passing another non-binding resolution condemning socialism,” he said.
A Fight Over What Socialism Even Means
The committee meeting turned heated when Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., pressed Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., on whether a government equity stake in a company would count as socialism. Neguse asked whether Steil would call it socialist if President Trump moved to take a “20% stake” in Kroger grocery stores. Steil said he’d “want to see the details.”
“Oh, you’d want to see the details,” Neguse shot back, talking over Steil. “You said if the government owns grocery stores, that would be socialist. But if, of course, Donald Trump were to announce an equity stake in a grocery store, well, ‘I’d have to really see the details,’ because we all know the play.”
Steil said he’d consider such a move only if there were a national security justification, and pushed back on Neguse’s line of questioning as hypothetical. “Some folks on your side of the aisle would like to have government-run grocery stores. I think that’s nuts,” he said.
Neguse pressed again on whether a presidential equity stake would qualify. Steil answered: “I think there would need to be a national security rationale for the action. I don’t see any in your hypothetical. I don’t see a national security focus.”
When Neguse called that a “helpful answer,” Steil replied, “It’s a hypotherical. So we’re entering silly season.” Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., at one point told Neguse to stop interrupting Steil.
A Second Vote on Court Packing
Republicans are also bringing a constitutional amendment to the floor Wednesday afternoon that would cap the Supreme Court at nine justices, according to the provisional schedule. Because leadership is fast-tracking it past the Rules Committee, the amendment will need a two-thirds majority to pass rather than a simple majority.
Court expansion has been pushed by several prominent progressives, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., who have called for growing the court to as many as 13 seats.
Republicans Say It’s Time to Choose
House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told Fox News Digital the votes are designed to end the ambiguity. “It’s time for the Democrats to pick a side. Stop playing the middle. Be proud of who you are. You were elected to lead, so lead. Have an opinion. We intend to put you on record,” McClain said.
“Do you want to pack the Supreme Court or not? It’s really simple. It’s a yes or no vote. It’s no bigger than that. Two — do you believe in socialism? If you do, you should say it loud and say it proud. I personally don’t believe in socialism. I like the fact that we have a democracy, that we have a republic, that we have a free society. And I’m proud to put myself on record,” she added.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., sidestepped the question Monday of whether he backs the anti-socialism resolution, instead redirecting to the election-integrity language attached to it. “I haven’t taken a look at that resolution, although it’s my understanding that the resolution elevates the so-called SAVE America Act, which is just the ‘Suppress the Vote Act.’ And I’m not clear how many Democrats are actually gonna support a resolution whose focus is on trying to rig the midterm election by elevating this voter suppression legislation that Donald Trump has been trying to jam down the road to the American people for the last year,” Jeffries told reporters.
Election Security Language Draws Fire
Beyond condemning socialism, the resolution praises Republican-backed election measures as “common-sense election integrity measures, including proof of citizenship, photo identification, and database checks,” and calls for enforcement of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the House but has stalled in the Senate.
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., argued the legislation is really about silencing opposition. “Let’s scare people with yet another boogeyman and not do anything about it. Not really solve problems, just try to scare people,” she said.
Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., countered that the socialist movement is not a hypothetical threat but one already governing parts of his own state. “I’ve seen firsthand the alarming rise of socialism…families in western New York have watched one-party rule in Albany pile on more taxes, more mandates, more government control, while hardworking taxpayers are left to foot the bill,” Langworthy said. “And now downstate, we’ve watched the socialist left move more from the activist fringe into positions of real, serious political power. And anyone thinks that these ideas are going to stay confined in New York City is sadly mistaken.”
