WASHINGTON — Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican who led a weeks-long conservative revolt that stalled action in the U.S. House of Representatives, said she would support a procedural vote to reopen the chamber for legislative business after reaching a conditional understanding with House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Luna announced late Monday that she would vote to advance a rule governing floor debate if Johnson attached the Republican-backed SAVE America Act to appropriations measures and other must-pass legislation sent to the Senate. The move, if supported by enough Republicans, would allow the House to resume consideration of legislation that had been blocked by internal party divisions.
The procedural standoff had effectively frozen House business for weeks as Luna and a group of conservative allies withheld support for rules needed to bring bills to the floor. Their campaign centered on demands that Republican leaders tie the election-related SAVE America Act to broader legislation, arguing it would increase pressure on the Senate to consider the measure.
Johnson, who has been working to unite his narrow Republican majority, still faced resistance from other lawmakers who had not committed to supporting the procedural vote, according to congressional reports. Even if Luna's bloc returned to support leadership, additional defections could complicate efforts to move legislation before lawmakers leave for the August recess.
The House agenda expected to resume includes consideration of a State Department funding bill and legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent, both of which had been delayed during the impasse.
The dispute marked the latest challenge for Johnson as Republicans sought to advance spending measures and other priorities while managing disagreements within their conference. Earlier this month, the revolt forced House leaders to postpone votes and begin the Independence Day recess ahead of schedule after procedural rules repeatedly failed to secure sufficient Republican support.
The SAVE America Act, strongly backed by President Donald Trump and conservative Republicans, would tighten federal voter identification and citizenship verification requirements. Supporters argue the legislation is intended to strengthen election security, while Democrats and voting rights advocates contend it could make voter registration more difficult for eligible Americans lacking certain documents. Senate Republicans have previously acknowledged they lack sufficient support to advance the measure under current Senate rules.
As of Tuesday, House Republican leaders were preparing to hold the procedural vote needed to restart floor consideration of legislation, with its outcome expected to determine whether the chamber could resume work on its legislative agenda before the scheduled recess.
