WASHINGTON ― Five Democrats saved House Republicans from an embarrassing floor defeat Wednesday, voting with the GOP on a farm bill rule that controversially included language blocking a vote on U.S. involvement in Yemen. GOP leadership sneaked the Yemen provision into the farm bill rule on Tuesday night, enraging many Democrats and some Republicans critical of U.S. support for the Saudis. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) had already stripped privilege from similar legislation almost immediately after beginning the lame duck session, but his maneuver this week is far more dramatic because it blocks the current Yemen bill and any other similar legislation. Eighteen Republicans voted against the rule ― a rare act of floor defiance, as rule votes almost always go along party lines. “Anyone want to primary some Democrats who voted to continue slaughtering civilians in Yemen?” Vietor wrote on Twitter.

Source: Huffington Post December 12, 2018 21:56 UTC