The bill’s failure, some Republicans predicted, will cause a backlash against the Freedom Caucus agitators by compelling more GOP lawmakers to endorse a procedural gambit, known as a discharge petition, that would force floor votes on four separate DACA bills against the wishes of Republican leaders.

The Freedom Caucus opposes the discharge petition and has sought ways to sink it.

Denham said caucus members' actions on Friday will instead make his lobbying effort easier.

Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.), a senior member of the GOP whip team, agreed.

He said Republican leaders had, in fact, delivered a warning to recalcitrant lawmakers in the lead up to Friday’s vote: Oppose the farm bill, they said, and the discharge petition will gain steam.

“Don’t be surprised if there’s a discharge petition that comes out as a result of this, because I think there are a lot of members on my side of the aisle concerned that they are not relevant anymore,” a visibly frustrated Ross said after the vote.


Such an inclination was not on display Friday.

While scores of Democrats used the farm-bill vote as an opportunity to endorse the DACA discharge petition, no new Republicans signed on.

But Denham noted that a number of lawmakers were not in Washington during Friday’s vote and predicted that more will endorse his petition when Congress returns next week.


Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), who sponsored the discharge petition that would force votes on Denham’s resolution, said two Republicans approached him on Thursday to say they’re ready to endorse the petition, though he did not know when they would do so.

At least two House Democrats are withholding their support for the discharge petition, citing concerns that the effort will lead to new construction of President Trump’s proposed border wall.

Curbelo said he’s hoping those Democratic holdouts will change course and sign the petition, but predicted their support ultimately won’t be necessary to reach the 218 mark.

“We’re not too worried about that, because we think we’ll get more than 25 [Republicans],” Curbelo said.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/38...l-dreamer-push