(The Epoch Times)—Republicans on the House Oversight Committee blocked a Democrat-led resolution of inquiry into the use of the app Signal by senior Trump administration officials.
The resolution was not taken up by the committee despite being scheduled for April 30.
Signal came into the spotlight after senior administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, used the encrypted app to communicate plans and updates surrounding U.S. strikes against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
A March report in The Atlantic by editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg brought the controversy, known as “Signalgate,” to light as Goldberg was allegedly accidentally added by National Security Adviser Michael Waltz to the group chat, which also included Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Republicans also blocked two other resolutions of inquiry from being brought up in the Oversight Committee.
One would have asked President Donald Trump to hand over to Congress documents regarding security clearances held by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Another would have asked the president to send documents to Congress related to DOGE’s use of artificial intelligence “to jeopardize the private information and essential services of the American people.”
Even if the resolutions of inquiry had passed the committee, they would not have been able to be brought to the House floor until at least Sept. 30. The House passed a rule on April 29 to block resolutions of inquiry from being put forth on the House floor. The rule passed along party lines, 216–208.
Despite not bringing up the resolutions of inquiry, the House Oversight Committee advanced on April 30, mostly along party lines, its portion of the reconciliation bill Republicans are crafting to pass major parts of Trump’s legislative agenda. The committee’s part consists of slashing more than $50 billion from the federal deficit over a decade.
“The budget legislation the committee passed today is a key part of the president’s vision to enact his America First agenda and deliver significant savings for hard-working taxpayers,” said the committee’s chairman, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) in a statement.
“The House Oversight Committee recognizes that this is a once-in-a-generation moment and is taking action to ensure the federal government is more effective, efficient, and fiscally responsible.”
In a statement, the committee’s Democrats said they “offered 25 common-sense amendments today to protect Americans’ health care, food assistance, and hard-earned retirement benefits. Republicans rejected each one.”
Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) joined all Democrats in voting against advancing the committee’s portion to the House Budget Committee.
The committee’s text for the reconciliation bill consists of reducing benefits for federal employees.
“I oppose any and all efforts to reduce federal spending by taking money from the hard-earned pensions of federal workers,” Turner said in a statement. “These pensions are not giveaways— they are promises to federal workers in exchange for their dedicated service.”
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