Boehner breaks the Hastert rule again as more than half of GOPers oppose Violence Against Women Act

After roughly a year and a half after its expiration, the Violence Against Women Act passed the House Thursday by 286-138 vote and will soon be reauthorized once it garners the president’s signature.

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The House vote was significant, because, for the third time this year, on a significant piece of legislation, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) showed a willingness to bring a bill to the floor without abiding by the unwritten, so-called “Hastert Rule."

The rule, named after former Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois, says that a speaker only brings something to the House floor if it has the support of the majority of the majority.

In this case, three-fifths of Republicans voted against the legislation -- 138 against the bill with only 87 in support.

(The other two times Boehner has advanced a bill that won only a minority of the majority -- the fiscal cliff and Sandy relief.)

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/28/17134595-boehner-eschews-hastert-rule-for-fourth-time?lite