Twelve Bills to Be Fast-Tracked Under New House Rules
Happy New Year! It’s been a busy start to 2025, with the 119th Congress officially underway as of January 3rd. Lawmakers elected in November are now in office, and the House of Representatives has already taken some significant steps.
Last week, the House voted to elect a Speaker and establish procedural rules for the next two years. These rules are a big deal—they shape how the chamber operates and set the tone for what gets prioritized.
Here’s a quick summary of the most important points.
A Fresh Start Every Congress
When a new Congress begins, the House essentially starts from scratch. There’s no Speaker, no committees, no officers, and no pending legislation—it’s a clean slate. The first tasks are electing a Speaker and approving rules to govern the chamber.
These rules decide committee structures and leadership roles. One notable change is how the Speaker can be removed. It now requires nine Republican co-sponsors to introduce a resolution for removal, instead of just one member. This strengthens the Speaker’s position but makes it harder for the majority of the House to demand a change.
Twelve Bills Fast-Tracked for a Vote
A major change in the new rules package is the fast-tracking of twelve bills. These will bypass hearings and amendments, have limited debate, and skip some standard procedures. Here are the bills on the list:
1. Title IX and athletics: Defines “sex” based on reproductive biology and genetics at birth.
2. Non-citizens and theft: Requires taking non-citizens charged with theft into custody.
3. Deportable offenses: Adds sex offenses and domestic violence to the list of deportable crimes.
4. Law enforcement assaults: Makes assaulting an officer a deportable offense.
5. Sanctuary city defunding: Cuts federal funding to sanctuary cities benefiting undocumented immigrants.
6. Fleeing federal officers: Adds penalties for fleeing a federal officer in a vehicle.
7. Abortion survivors: Mandates care for children who survive abortions.
8. ICC sanctions: Sanctions the International Criminal Court for actions against U.S. allies or citizens.
9. Taiwan tax relief: A likely bipartisan bill addressing double taxation for Taiwanese residents paying U.S. taxes.
10. Voter citizenship proof: Requires proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote.
11. Fentanyl scheduling: Updates the Controlled Substances Act to address fentanyl-related issues.
12. Fracking protections: Prohibits moratoriums on hydraulic fracturing.
What to Watch For
In the Senate, which doesn’t reset like the House, Republicans are taking over key committees and leadership roles after the recent power shift.
Congress has already certified the presidential election results on January 6th, which proceeded smoothly now that House Republicans have settled on leadership. The Senate will also begin preparing for confirmation hearings for President Trump’s nominees after his January 20th inauguration.
Stay tuned for more updates as the new Congress gets to work!