Capitol Hill - Political Update
September 25, 2023
What happened this week:
Rep. George Santos (R-NY) was expelled by the House of Representatives in a bipartisan vote. The House voted to expel the indicted New York Republican 311-114, exceeding the two-thirds threshold required for booting a member.
By the numbers: Nearly all Democrats supported the measure, with two voting against it and two voting present, while 104 Republicans backed it. It's the first time the House has expelled a member without a conviction since the Civil War.
- Santos is only the sixth member of the House to be expelled.
- Three of the other members fought for the Confederacy and two others were convicted on federal charges.
Why it matters: The Santos saga on Capitol Hill is over, but his story has just begun. Prosecutors are just getting started on trying him in court with a preliminary trial scheduled for September of next year.
Special Election: An election will be held for someone to fill out the rest of Santos’ term, likely in February 2024.
Back to legislation: Meanwhile, Congress remains busy on a supplemental aid package that could include spending for the border, Ukraine, and Israel. President Biden has requested a $100 billion bill that would include funding for the following for all the above.
- Israel: The debate has moved to “conditional aid” meaning that the United States would require Israel to use the money in very specific ways and may limit how much can be spent on weapons.
- Ukraine: The debate centers around the total sum of money allotted and for how much longer the U.S. will provide aid.
- Republicans demand that any further aid for either country must revolve around southern border security.
The bottom line: The Senate is hoping to vote next week on a bill that would contain funding for all of the above. But with only 10 voting days left in the year for the Senate and eight voting days left in the House, this could get tricky.
Please contact James Montfort (JMontfort@crefc.org) with any questions.