Speaker Mike Johnson is exploring whether to put legislation on the House floor that would end the ability of pregnant women to enter the United States legally to gain citizenship for their children, as he faces pressure from hard-line Republicans demanding action on immigration.
The possible vote would be a way for Johnson to appease conservatives who are demanding action after the Supreme Court ruled against Trump administration efforts to end birthright citizenship. However, House passage of such a measure would be largely symbolic, as it stands no chance of overcoming the Senate filibuster.
“If there’s some legislative fix, we’ll advance that immediately,” Johnson said on Fox News Sunday. While he warned that enacting a constitutional amendment would take “a little more time,” he added, “we’ve got to address this. It really is a serious, serious issue.”
The Immigration Bind
The speaker is caught between competing factions within his own party. Hard-liners are demanding action to crack down on legal immigration, while moderate Republicans do not want to vote on immigration matters so close to the midterms. A swath of Republicans in agriculture-heavy districts has warned Johnson he needs to address an overhaul of the visa process for seasonal immigrant farm workers as part of any immigration package — a move that would stoke major backlash from the far-right.
Johnson promised hard-liners last month that he would hold a vote before July 4 on legislation codifying Trump’s border security priorities. Those members now say Johnson has gone back on his word and, in revolt, they ground legislative business to a halt, forcing GOP leaders to send the House home early for the holiday recess.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told reporters last week that Republicans were far from reaching a compromise, and one person involved in the talks described senior House Republicans as “still pissing around” on the discussions.
McConnell’s Health Crisis
Meanwhile, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is publicly asking Senator Mitch McConnell to provide an update on his health amid a weekslong hospitalization that has sparked rampant online speculation.
Beshear sent a letter to McConnell Wednesday, saying that Kentuckians had grown “increasingly concerned” since the former Senate Republican leader was hospitalized in mid-June about both his health and “ability to hold office.”
“As governor, I request that you fully update Kentuckians regarding the current status of your health,” Beshear wrote. “As public officeholders, we have made a commitment to our constituents to do our best to represent them and to always be transparent. I believe this requires clear communication about one’s ability to serve.”
McConnell was first hospitalized on June 14. While his staff has provided multiple updates since, they have not disclosed why he was hospitalized or details on his condition. Online speculation that he could be in grave condition erupted after news outlets reported on radio traffic indicating a person at McConnell’s address was found unconscious and required cardiac resuscitation.
Beshear cited the online chatter in requesting transparency, arguing that “allowing speculation to continue in the media is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians.” He said his own office has been peppered with questions about McConnell’s health.
Three Republicans — Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Majority Whip John Barrasso, and McConnell-adviser-turned-commentator Scott Jennings — said Tuesday they had spoken to McConnell this week. A spokesperson for McConnell did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Beshear’s letter.
The Kentucky Succession Law
Notably, Kentucky Republicans have moved to sideline Beshear from the appointment process should there be a Senate vacancy. The state legislature changed the succession law in 2024, shortly after McConnell announced that he would retire at the end of his current term.
Where previously the governor could make an appointment to fill a Senate vacancy pending a special election, the new law provides only for a special election. Republican legislators overrode a Beshear veto to enact the 2024 law, but there are ongoing questions about its legality that could be litigated if there is in fact a vacancy.
McConnell’s uncertain health status also threatens to upend Trump’s defense budget plans at a critical moment for the Iran war and the midterms. McConnell chairs the Senate Appropriations panel that controls Pentagon spending and will be key in moving any funding plans forward.
The Bottom Line
Speaker Mike Johnson is exploring a vote to end “birth tourism” to appease hard-line Republicans demanding action on immigration after the Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship. Meanwhile, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is publicly demanding that Senator Mitch McConnell provide a full health update after three weeks of silence. McConnell’s hospitalization has sparked rampant speculation, and his absence threatens to complicate defense budget plans. Kentucky Republicans changed the state’s succession law in 2024 to prevent Beshear from appointing a replacement if a vacancy occurs.
