by Natalie Andrews and Lindsay Wise at The Wall Street Journal
The House of Representatives remained paralyzed Wednesday after a group of Republican insurgents blocked legislation from advancing, agitating for spending cuts they said they were promised by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) at the start of the year.
The group of roughly 10 dissenters first flexed its muscles on Tuesday, blocking a procedural vote known as the rule to bring this week’s bills to the floor. The group, which included GOP Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Matt Gaetz of Florida and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, effectively ambushed party leaders, marking the first time a rule vote has been blocked since 2002. If the rule doesn’t pass, legislation can’t proceed.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the House schedule was in limbo, with lawmakers uncertain if there would be votes that day after some McCarthy critics said that they would continue to block any floor action. Party leaders said they were in talks toward a resolution but couldn’t say when votes would resume.
“I didn’t take this job because it’s easy,” McCarthy told reporters,…