‘Absolutely Insane’: Ex-GOP Congressman Rips Mike Johnson for Trying to ‘Pretend That a Day Is Not a Day’

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) lost a key procedural vote on Tuesday night as he tried to delay future votes on President Donald Trump’s ability to levy tariffs with a rule that rewrote what constitutes a day in order to delay a vote on Trump’s tariff emergency.

Trump’s sweeping global tariffs rely on his use of the National Emergencies Act, which allows the president to use special powers – often those explicitly granted to Congress – during a time of crisis. The Congress, however, must vote to renew each emergency declaration annually and approve a new emergency after 15 days.

Johnson tried to pass a rule on Tuesday that included the section:

19. Provides that each day during the period from February 10, 2026, through July 31, 2026, shall not constitute a calendar day for purposes of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622) with respect to a joint resolution terminating a national emergency declared by the President on February 1, 2025, April 2, 2025, July 30, 2025, or August 6, 2025.

The rule would have allowed Trump’s emergency declarations to stand through July by simply declaring denying the existence of time. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) shared the text of the rule on social media and wrote, “The law requires Congress to permit a vote on Presidential emergencies within 15 days of being declared. Today the Speaker is trying to pass a resolution that literally says a day is not a day, just to avoid voting on the emergencies that underpin the tariffs. Smoke & mirrors!”

Former House Republican Justin Amash shared Massie’s post and added, “To vote yes on this would be absolutely insane, yet nearly every Republican voted to pretend that a day is not a day.”

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), one of the three House Republicans who voted with the Democrats to shoot down the rule, explained his vote:

I don’t like putting the important work of the House on pause, but Congress needs to be able to debate on tariffs. Tariffs have been a “net negative” for the economy and are a significant tax that American consumers, manufacturers, and farmers are paying. Article I of the Constitution places authority over taxes and tariffs with Congress for a reason, but for too long, we have handed that authority to the executive branch. It’s time for Congress to reclaim that responsibility. I also oppose using the rules votes to legislate. I want the debate and the right to vote on tariffs.

The other GOP “no” vote on the rule, Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA), told reporters he voted to defend the powers of Congress.

“I don’t think that the House should be limiting the authority of members and enlarging the power of leadership at the expense of our members,” said Kiley. “That’s what this does, so I think it’s important for the House as an institution.”

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