House Republicans Prepare To Counter Democrats' Priorities With New Bills

Republican Rep. Steve Scalise sent a letter to his colleagues Friday outlining the party's legislative agenda after taking office in the new year.

Scalise, who has been named the next House Majority Leader, outlined a number of bills to be introduced in the first two weeks of the next Congress, many of which mirror what Democrats have done over the past four years.

"The American people came together on November 8th and decided it was time for a new direction," Scalise wrote.

MORE: How manageable is a Republican House majority?

“Working families have been challenged over the past two years by the rising cost of living, rising violence in our communities, rising gas and home heating costs, and the deepening crisis in the South. border," he added.

The legislative document also includes a bill that would recover billions of dollars from the Internal Revenue Service in the inflation-reduction law that Democrats passed without support from Republicans.

Republicans said the funding would lead to the hiring of 87,000 IRS agents to work with middle-income families, which the Treasury Department says is untrue. Democrats say the money is needed to modernize the agency and replace retiring employees.

Another GOP bill would make permanent the Hyde Amendment, a decades-old provision that bars federal funding for most abortions. President Joe Biden has supported the amendment for years but reversed it in 2019, and Democrats unsuccessfully tried to repeal the bill last year.

Mary F. Calvert/Reuters File Photo: Representative Steve Scalise speaks to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol December 14, 2022 in Washington, DC.

© ABC News Contributed by Mary F. Calvert/Reuters , FILE - Photo Representative Steve Scalise speaks as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Dec. 14, 2022.

The GOP will push separate legislation to create a special committee on China, block "non-emergency" withdrawals from strategic oil reserves and give the Department of Homeland Security the authority to detain migrants who are not "in line" at the border. Border, Scalise said. control."

While Republicans are poised to regain control of the House next week for the first time since 2018, many measures could face challenges in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

In the letter, Scalise urged his colleagues to vote for Congressman Kevin McCarthy as Speaker on January 3rd.

MORE: Top GOP House sleuths show little interest in Jan. 6

McCarthy's bid to lead the House was opposed by a group of hardline conservatives who say the California congressman did not do enough to push Democrats, especially after the GOP's dismal performance in the August election.

Official business in the House, including committee formation, voting and member secondments, cannot begin until a new Speaker is elected.

Scalise told colleagues he knows it will take time to build committees in the new Congress, but he said the bills he plans to introduce first are "ready to pass."

"These smart measures will help address challenges facing working families on issues such as energy, inflation, border security, livelihoods, taxpayer protections and more," the congressman wrote. They need broad support and demonstrate our bold agenda.