Kevin McCarthy has given up what, and at what price?

Kevin McCarthy is poised to win the fourth day’s voting for Speaker of House. Six of the 20 Republicans that opposed McCarthy are gone.

However, it was not easy to convince rebels to make the switch. McCarthy was forced to make important concessions and promise limits on his own power in order to increase the influence of conservatives at the House of Representatives.

What have he sacrificed – and what was the price? Every concession McCarthy makes comes at a cost. Here’s a look at the pieces that have been reported, even though an agreement has not yet been made public.

Concession: A single-member election triggers

One of the main demands of Republican holdouts was for a single legislator to be able to trigger a vote on whether or not to remove Speaker from office. The “motion to vacate”, which could trigger another round of voting in Congress, is similar to what we’ve seen over the past week. It acts as a proverbial sword hanging over his head every minute he holds the gavel.

Cost: The motion to vacate is an old rule in Congress. However, the number of people needed to trigger it has been raised to five in recent decades to stop a single member from challenging the Speaker’s power. The holdouts have vowed not to abuse this privilege if it is reinstated, but Mr McCarthy’s grip on power will be more unstable with it in effect.

Concession: It is not an easy way to get legislation passed

Students studying US civics and fans of Schoolhouse Rock! You may be familiar with the process of bills making their way through Congress. They are introduced by a legislator and then assigned to a committee to review and revise them. The bill is brought to the floor and amended before being put to a vote.

This is not the way things work these days. Large spending bills are passed quickly and without much debate behind closed doors. McCarthy said that bill-passing would be more like the old days. Members of Congress, not the top leadership, will have more control over how bills are presented, amended, and passed.

Cost: Regular order has almost ended because legislating, especially in today’s partisan divides, is very difficult. New bills are a tedious task that can easily be hampered by a handful politicians with an agenda. It is noble to return to the old rules of the game, but it will be difficult for McCarthy to keep his word.

Concession: Conservatives could make the rules

The House Rules Committee is, as its name suggests, basically sets the rules for the House’s floor. It determines when a bill is to be voted upon, how long it will take to be debated for, and whether or not it can be amended on the floor. McCarthy has promised to give conservatives at least one place in this powerful group.

Cost: You get a seat at the table. The House will produce more legislation if there is more representation from the Rules Committee. This will allow conservatives to influence the House’s final product and stop any unwelcome proposals.

Concession: We are taking plum roles from our supporters

Many of the House Committee holdouts are keen to get their hands on influential House committee chairs. Andy Harris, a Maryland resident, expressed interest in being the chair of the House Appropriations committee’s health subcommittee, which oversees billions of dollars of government spending. Mr Harris ended his support for McCarthy Friday afternoon. While Mr McCarthy has not made public promises to Mr McCarthy, lawmakers will be closely watching to see whether any Republicans get rewarded.

Cost: A committee chair is given to a holdout. This means it is taken away from a loyal McCarthy supporter, who should have been the next in line based upon seniority. If McCarthy promises too much to former adversaries, he may make enemies within his own camp.

Concession: Spending limits

One common complaint from conservatives is that federal spending has risen to unacceptable levels. They asked McCarthy to promise tangible fiscal restraints. These include reducing federal spending to 2022 levels, increasing the amount of government debt, and allowing for spending cuts to smaller legislation by voting on the House floor.

Cost: Republicans will be able pass any budget they agree to with majority control in the House. Mr McCarthy will be siding with budget hawks at these intra-party talks – which has already upset some conservatives, who fear major cuts in defense spending. However, Republicans in the House will eventually need to negotiate with Democrats at the Senate in order to pass spending legislation. This could make it harder for McCarthy to find the right compromises to prevent a government shutdown later this year.

Prioritize their issues with Concession

Republican holdouts have often discussed the issues of border security and congressional term limits. McCarthy is reported to have promised that both would be up for vote early in the year.

Cost: As tightening border security has been the centerpiece of the Republican agenda since 2015, when Donald Trump was elected president, the House would be able to quickly address the issue of immigration. A constitutional amendment would be required to pass term limits. The Supreme Court has already ruled against any attempt by the state to limit the terms of Congress members.