The House Rules Committee Democratic staff has released a report alleging that Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans have limited debate and blocked amendments in the House of Representatives, effectively making Congress a "rubber stamp" for President Trump and wealthy interests.
The report, titled "How Donald Trump Stole Congress," is based on several months of research by Democratic members of the committee. It highlights differences between Republican actions to limit deliberation and Democratic efforts to promote transparency and accountability.
“Speaker Mike Johnson promised openness this Congress, and instead he's delivered a total lockdown. Debate is non-existent, amendments are blocked, and members are silenced. Under this Republican majority, the House of Representatives has become a place where trivial ideas are debated passionately, and important ones not at all. The data in this report backs that up,” said House Rules Committee Ranking Member James P. McGovern. “Republicans are terrified of debate because that would expose who they work for. Thanks to them, Congress has essentially become a rubber stamp for billionaires, CEOs, and special interests.”
According to the findings, under Speaker Johnson's leadership, Republicans on the Rules Committee have issued 168 closed rules, with more than 70 percent preventing any debate. In the first year of the 119th Congress alone, over 80 percent of measures were considered under closed rules—blocking both parties from offering amendments.
The report also states that Republican leaders have rejected more than 6,000 proposed amendments during Johnson’s time as Speaker. This includes most Republican proposals as well as nearly two-thirds of bipartisan suggestions.
Democratic staff argue that these practices have prevented Congress from addressing issues such as rising grocery prices and healthcare costs. The report claims that instead of functioning independently, House Republicans have used the Rules Committee to protect President Trump from oversight while advancing policies favored by donors and corporations.
It further warns that these tactics resemble those found in authoritarian governments where legislative bodies exist mainly to approve decisions rather than discuss or shape them. Some allies of President Trump are quoted as comparing today’s House to Russia’s Duma.
“Congress is supposed to be the first branch of government,” McGovern continued. “Instead, the Speaker has surrendered it to the White House. That’s not democracy. It’s authoritarianism. Americans deserve a Congress that debates big ideas out in the open and delivers for them. Democrats are fighting to restore that—and will not back down.”
The full report can be accessed through Report [Part I], Report [Part II], and the Report Summary.
