PBS News Hour

GEOFF BENNETT

After a tumultuous start to its term, the Republican-led House is targeting its biggest priorities.

AMNA NAWAZ

Today, GOP lawmakers started work on their top agenda items, and launched key subcommittees that would focus on China, as well as investigations into the Biden administration. Republican Whip Tom Emmer was optimistic about what's in store.

REP. TOM EMMER (R-MN)

This is a great time to be a Republican in Washington, D.C., in the House, because you have a chance to make a difference, and you have a chance to be part of a great team that is going to work together. And I think you saw that starting to happen last week. Have we arrive? No. No, not yet. We will continue to get better at this together.

GEOFF BENNETT

Following this all closely is Washington Post reporter Leigh Ann Caldwell. Leigh Ann, welcome to the "NewsHour." In the new Republican-led House, they used their first vote to claw back some $70 billion in new funding for the IRS that was signed into law last year, the House GOP fulfilling a major campaign promise, expected to die in the Democratic-led Senate. Help us understand more about the GOP's priorities in this new Congress. LEIGH ANN CALDWELL,

The Washington Post

Hey, Geoff. So, there's -- it's a couple of things. What they're going to be doing publicly on the floor of the House of Representatives are some of their priorities and also what's going on behind the scenes. As far as publicly, in addition to that scaling back of the IRS funding, there's also going to be a series of votes on abortion to limit federal funding of abortion and condemning attacks on pro-life entities. And so you can see that those cultural issues are going to be very important for them. And then, behind the scenes, all these agreements that were made over the past week or so are really focused on cutting back government spending. That is going to be a huge priority for Republicans, given the influence of the far right in this Congress, Geoff.

GEOFF BENNETT

The House also voted to establish new select committees, one focused on investigations, another focused on U.S. competition with China, which might be an area where there could be some bipartisan cooperation. Tell us more about how these committees have come together and what I understand is a fight about who will sit on congressional committees moving forward.

LEIGH ANN CALDWELL

Yes, that's absolutely right. It's kind of a contrast, these two committees, that both, the formation of them, passed the House just tonight. The one on the weaponization of the federal government, that's going to be led by conservative firebrand Jim Jordan. That passed along party lines, and that is going to be a very political and polarizing committee, where Republicans are going to focus on the what they say is overreach of the FBI and the Department of Justice. Meanwhile, you have this committee on China that actually passed with bipartisan support. It's going to be led by Representative Mike Gallagher, someone who is respected among Democrats. And China is a big political issue, and no one in Congress wants to look weak on China. So this could be an area of bipartisan cooperation, Geoff.

GEOFF BENNETT

What about immigration, Leigh Ann? President Biden visited the Southern border on Sunday. He's there talking about a whole host of issues, to include immigration, with the leaders of Canada and Mexico. Immigration has been talked about a lot on the Hill, but we have seen precious little in terms of policy lately. Might that change?

LEIGH ANN CALDWELL

You're absolutely right. Not a lot has been done in two decades or more on immigration. Well, there's a couple of different dynamics that are happening, in addition to President Biden going to the border, which is a huge sign - - this is the first time -- that this is going to be a big political issue leading into the 2024 election as well. He has to show, like, he's trying to do something about what is happening at the border. Meanwhile, you have a bipartisan group of senators who are also at the border today. They are moving forward on bipartisan legislation that tackles border security, but also addresses the dreamers, these children who came to the United States. But then you have the House of Representatives, who are moving in a very hard-line direction. They don't want to have anything to do with the dreamers at this point. They want to secure the border. So all these different dynamics are going to come head on, and we don't know if any of them are going to become law, Geoff.

GEOFF BENNETT

Leigh Ann, in the 45 seconds or so we have left, now that Congress is getting to work, has the heat let up at all on Kevin McCarthy? Given the way the rules are, any one of his critics could issue a vote of no confidence?

LEIGH ANN CALDWELL

We will have to see. Because of the threat of that vote, Kevin McCarthy has a lot of pressure that he has to follow this agreement that he reached with these hard right members. And if he messes up, then they will -- could deploy that. And so they have gotten -- now they're doing the easy stuff. Well, electing a speaker was supposed to be easy. It wasn't. Now they're doing the messaging bills, the things that the party agrees on. But when it gets to funding the government, government spending, it's going to be a lot more difficult, Geoff.

GEOFF BENNETT

Leigh Ann Caldwell of The Washington Post. Leigh Ann, thanks so much. Good to see you.