In 2003, former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert coined his eponymous “rule,” which says that legislation should not be voted on unless the majority of the party in control of Congress is behind it. According to Hastert, this is grounded in the principle that “the job of the Speaker is not to expedite legislation that runs counter to the wishes of the majority of the majority.”
However, this informal rule creates a strong disincentive for lawmakers to reach across the aisle and try to compromise with House colleagues. While abiding by the Hastert Rule has become the norm, there are a few dozen examples of its being ignored over the years.
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