1 00:00:01,166 --> 00:00:02,800 GEOFF BENNETT: After a tumultuous start to its 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,600 term, the Republican-led House is targeting its biggest priorities. 3 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:10,533 AMNA NAWAZ: Today, GOP lawmakers started work on their top agenda items, and launched key 4 00:00:10,533 --> 00:00:15,533 subcommittees that would focus on China, as well as investigations into the Biden administration. 5 00:00:15,533 --> 00:00:19,533 Republican Whip Tom Emmer was optimistic about what's in store. 6 00:00:19,533 --> 00:00:23,333 REP. TOM EMMER (R-MN): This is a great time to be a Republican in Washington, 7 00:00:23,333 --> 00:00:26,933 D.C., in the House, because you have a chance to make a difference, 8 00:00:26,933 --> 00:00:31,600 and you have a chance to be part of a great team that is going to work together. 9 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:36,433 And I think you saw that starting to happen last week. Have we arrive? No. No, 10 00:00:36,433 --> 00:00:39,066 not yet. We will continue to get better at this together. 11 00:00:39,066 --> 00:00:43,833 GEOFF BENNETT: Following this all closely is Washington Post reporter Leigh Ann Caldwell. 12 00:00:43,833 --> 00:00:45,900 Leigh Ann, welcome to the "NewsHour." 13 00:00:45,900 --> 00:00:49,333 In the new Republican-led House, they used their first vote to claw back 14 00:00:49,333 --> 00:00:54,300 some $70 billion in new funding for the IRS that was signed into law last year, 15 00:00:56,833 --> 00:01:00,166 the House GOP fulfilling a major campaign promise, expected to die in the Democratic-led Senate. 16 00:01:02,133 --> 00:01:05,266 Help us understand more about the GOP's priorities in this new Congress. 17 00:01:05,266 --> 00:01:06,800 LEIGH ANN CALDWELL, The Washington Post: Hey, Geoff. 18 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,766 So, there's -- it's a couple of things. What they're going to be 19 00:01:09,766 --> 00:01:13,000 doing publicly on the floor of the House of Representatives are 20 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,200 some of their priorities and also what's going on behind the scenes. 21 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,633 As far as publicly, in addition to that scaling back of the IRS funding, 22 00:01:20,633 --> 00:01:25,066 there's also going to be a series of votes on abortion to limit federal 23 00:01:25,066 --> 00:01:30,066 funding of abortion and condemning attacks on pro-life entities. And 24 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:36,233 so you can see that those cultural issues are going to be very important for them. 25 00:01:36,233 --> 00:01:41,233 And then, behind the scenes, all these agreements that were made over the past week or so are really 26 00:01:43,833 --> 00:01:46,866 focused on cutting back government spending. That is going to be a huge priority for Republicans, 27 00:01:49,466 --> 00:01:53,833 given the influence of the far right in this Congress, Geoff. 28 00:01:53,833 --> 00:01:57,933 GEOFF BENNETT: The House also voted to establish new select committees, 29 00:01:57,933 --> 00:02:02,900 one focused on investigations, another focused on U.S. competition with China, 30 00:02:04,866 --> 00:02:06,533 which might be an area where there could be some bipartisan cooperation. 31 00:02:06,533 --> 00:02:09,166 Tell us more about how these committees have come together 32 00:02:09,166 --> 00:02:14,166 and what I understand is a fight about who will sit on congressional committees moving forward. 33 00:02:15,366 --> 00:02:17,400 LEIGH ANN CALDWELL: Yes, that's absolutely right. 34 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,466 It's kind of a contrast, these two committees, that both, the formation of them, 35 00:02:21,466 --> 00:02:26,466 passed the House just tonight. The one on the weaponization of the federal government, 36 00:02:28,900 --> 00:02:32,166 that's going to be led by conservative firebrand Jim Jordan. That passed along party lines, 37 00:02:34,533 --> 00:02:39,500 and that is going to be a very political and polarizing committee, where Republicans are going 38 00:02:41,466 --> 00:02:44,633 to focus on the what they say is overreach of the FBI and the Department of Justice. 39 00:02:44,633 --> 00:02:48,633 Meanwhile, you have this committee on China that actually passed with 40 00:02:48,633 --> 00:02:53,166 bipartisan support. It's going to be led by Representative Mike Gallagher, 41 00:02:53,166 --> 00:02:58,133 someone who is respected among Democrats. And China is a big political issue, and no one 42 00:03:00,633 --> 00:03:04,566 in Congress wants to look weak on China. So this could be an area of bipartisan cooperation, Geoff. 43 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:08,033 GEOFF BENNETT: What about immigration, Leigh Ann? 44 00:03:08,033 --> 00:03:11,033 President Biden visited the Southern border on Sunday. He's there talking 45 00:03:11,033 --> 00:03:14,333 about a whole host of issues, to include immigration, with the leaders of Canada 46 00:03:14,333 --> 00:03:18,333 and Mexico. Immigration has been talked about a lot on the Hill, 47 00:03:18,333 --> 00:03:21,833 but we have seen precious little in terms of policy lately. Might that change? 48 00:03:21,833 --> 00:03:23,733 LEIGH ANN CALDWELL: You're absolutely right. 49 00:03:23,733 --> 00:03:26,800 Not a lot has been done in two decades or more on immigration. 50 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:31,533 Well, there's a couple of different dynamics that are happening, in addition to President 51 00:03:31,533 --> 00:03:36,533 Biden going to the border, which is a huge sign - - this is the first time -- that this is going 52 00:03:38,566 --> 00:03:42,100 to be a big political issue leading into the 2024 election as well. He has to show, like, 53 00:03:42,100 --> 00:03:45,766 he's trying to do something about what is happening at the border. 54 00:03:45,766 --> 00:03:49,966 Meanwhile, you have a bipartisan group of senators who are also at the border 55 00:03:49,966 --> 00:03:54,966 today. They are moving forward on bipartisan legislation that tackles border security, 56 00:03:56,933 --> 00:04:00,433 but also addresses the dreamers, these children who came to the United States. 57 00:04:00,433 --> 00:04:04,600 But then you have the House of Representatives, who are moving in a very hard-line direction. 58 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,600 They don't want to have anything to do with the dreamers at this point. 59 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,800 They want to secure the border. So all these different dynamics are going to come head on, 60 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,266 and we don't know if any of them are going to become law, Geoff. 61 00:04:14,266 --> 00:04:16,500 GEOFF BENNETT: Leigh Ann, in the 45 seconds or so we have left, 62 00:04:16,500 --> 00:04:21,500 now that Congress is getting to work, has the heat let up at all on Kevin McCarthy? 63 00:04:23,500 --> 00:04:27,300 Given the way the rules are, any one of his critics could issue a vote of no confidence? 64 00:04:28,500 --> 00:04:30,600 LEIGH ANN CALDWELL: We will have to see. 65 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,433 Because of the threat of that vote, Kevin McCarthy has a lot of pressure that 66 00:04:34,433 --> 00:04:39,333 he has to follow this agreement that he reached with these hard right members. 67 00:04:39,333 --> 00:04:44,333 And if he messes up, then they will -- could deploy that. And so they have gotten -- now 68 00:04:46,533 --> 00:04:50,800 they're doing the easy stuff. Well, electing a speaker was supposed to be easy. It wasn't. 69 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:55,800 Now they're doing the messaging bills, the things that the party agrees on. But when it gets to 70 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,566 funding the government, government spending, it's going to be a lot more difficult, Geoff. 71 00:05:00,566 --> 00:05:02,200 GEOFF BENNETT: Leigh Ann Caldwell of The Washington Post. 72 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:03,766 Leigh Ann, thanks so much. Good to see you.