McCarthy Passes First Test as House Approves Rules Package

Speaker Kevin McCarthy passed the first test of his House leadership as Republicans backed a new set of rules for how the chamber operates, including one that will make it easier for dissidents to challenge him.

Despite some grumbling from swing-district Republicans, the rules were passed on a largely party line vote, 220-213, with Democrats unified in opposition.

A failure to pass the rules package would have halted all work in the House and added to the humiliation McCarthy suffered last week when it took 15 rounds of voting to elect him speaker.

McCarthy is working with a slim 222-212 ...