Democrats say House Republicans have effectively transformed themselves into a “rubber stamp” for President Trump and his wealthy allies — and they insist they can prove it.
A new 185‑page report from Democrats on the House Rules Committee, dubbed “How Trump Stole Congress,” accuses House Speaker Mike Johnson of surrendering the chamber’s independence and using procedural maneuvers to choke off debate, shutting out millions of Americans in the process.
Their argument centers on the explosion of “closed rules” under Mr. Johnson — the procedural tool that limits or outright blocks lawmakers from offering amendments on the House floor, often forcing straight up‑or‑down votes on legislation.
Both parties have leaned on closed rules over the years, especially as polarization has deepened, but Democrats say the current majority has taken the tactic to an entirely new level.
According to the report, Republicans have issued 168 closed rules since Mr. Johnson took the gavel, putting the House on track to blow past the previous record of 115 set under former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the last Congress.
“In short,” the report says, “Speaker Johnson and House Republicans have weaponized the Rules Committee to protect President Trump and ensure the House is merely a rubber stamp on his agenda — with no real deliberation, discussion, or debate.”
The report also notes the House cast fewer votes in the first session of this Congress than in any comparable period in more than three decades.
Mr. Johnson’s office was sent a request for comment.
Democrats argue the trend reflects something more profound than routine procedural hardball.
They say the House — envisioned by the founders as the most responsive branch of government — has instead become an extension of the White House, catering to a president who, in their view, shows “open scorn” for democratic norms.
“In fact, even President Trump’s allies now compare this body to the Russian Duma — a legislature in name only that exists not to further democratic governance, but to rubber stamp power,” the report says.
