House leaders scrambled late Wednesday to find a new way to bring the National Defense Authorization Act to the floor, with the Congressional Black Caucus threatening to vote against the rule allowing the bill to come up for consideration unless voting rights legislation is attached.
“The CBC prioritizes, above all else at this time, the passage of the Voting Rights Act even at this late time in the session. If there’s any opportunity to do so, we’re exploring those possibilities,” Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), a CBC leader, said.
There is little to no wiggle room to add new provisions to the House-Senate negotiation.
House leaders now plan to bring the bill up today under suspension of the rules. That means they’ll be able to skip a procedural rule vote but will need two-thirds of the House to support the NDAA.
Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Andrea Hester
