One year ago, the U.S. House of Representatives, under Speaker Mike Johnson, passed a significant bill delivering tax breaks to the wealthy while simultaneously implementing cuts to the social safety net, a measure signed into law by President Donald Trump. This legislative action, described by Johnson as his party's "signature achievement," occurred amidst a congressional environment he himself characterized as anything but "normal."
Capital's Priorities Advanced
Despite Johnson's lament that he "deeply desire[s] to have just a normal Congress," the Republican-led House continues to operate with all-night sessions, hours of floor inactivity, legislation drafted behind closed doors, and sudden votes. Johnson stated at the time of the tax bill's passage, "But it doesn’t happen anymore. Our way is to plow through and get it done." This week, the House saw delays, including five hours of Johnson huddling behind closed doors to "salvage his agenda" before a vote tally near 11 p.m. Such events, once considered shocking, are now routine.
Looking ahead to the fall elections, Johnson and other Republican lawmakers are planning another GOP-only budget package. Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, stated Thursday that the "centerpiece" of this package "will be supporting our troops" with more than $100 billion in funding for the war against Iran, along with money to replenish defense munitions and other Pentagon-related needs. Arrington referred to this as "budget reconciliation 3.0," signaling a continued commitment to military spending that benefits the arms industry.
The proposed $100 billion allocation for military spending underscores the state's role in securing capital accumulation through the projection of military power and the direct transfer of public funds to the military-industrial complex. This prioritization of war funding and corporate tax breaks over social provisions reveals the core function of the legislative body.
The State's Function Amidst Dysfunction
The House also passed a bipartisan bill this week to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security, ending what was described as the longest agency shutdown in history. Johnson commented on this process, saying, "Sometimes it’s an ugly process, sometimes it’s a long process. But we got it done." The "ugly process" ultimately delivered funding to a key state apparatus responsible for border enforcement and internal security, regardless of the procedural chaos.
The Republican Party, which returned to power more than two years ago, holds a paper-thin House majority, leaving Speaker Johnson with no room to pass legislation on party-line votes without Democratic support. Johnson must balance President Donald Trump’s priorities with those of various factions within his own party, including the conservative House Freedom Caucus and more pragmatic conservatives. This internal struggle, however, does not fundamentally alter the legislative outcomes that favor capital.
Rep. Ted Lieu of California, part of Democratic leadership, criticized the House Republicans, stating, “House Republicans have shown again that they can’t govern.” Lieu added, “They routinely pass bills to the Senate that are way too extreme, then it ends up that we have all these floor session days where we’re just doing nothing.” This critique focuses on procedural dysfunction and ideological extremism, rather than the underlying class interests served by the legislative outcomes, such as the tax breaks and military funding.
Some of Johnson’s most conservative Republican colleagues, such as Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, blamed their Senate allies for dismissing the House’s work, rather than Johnson’s leadership. Roy stated, “Yeah, sometimes, it gets a little tense. But we’re still getting stuff done. We’re sending it over to the Senate. So we look forward to them doing their job.” This internal blame game among ruling-class representatives highlights tactical disagreements, not a challenge to the system's fundamental objectives.
Managing Contradictions
Despite the turbulent legislative environment, the focus remains on advancing capital's agenda, whether through tax breaks for the wealthy or massive military contracts. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., chairman of the House GOP’s campaign arm, acknowledged the difficulty of legislating with a tight majority, calling it "rough" and "ugly." He also stated, “I’d be fine with letting us go home and campaign. But we’ve got a lot of important work still to do.” The "important work" refers to the continued legislative efforts to serve corporate and military interests.
Johnson's own position as Speaker remains precarious, following the early exits of previous Republican speakers, including Kevin McCarthy, John Boehner, and Newt Gingrich, who were also challenged by internal party factions. The revolving door of leadership within the ruling party does not disrupt the core function of the state in protecting accumulated wealth and facilitating capital accumulation.