(Source: Unsplash Tim Mossholder)
Curious about the last few weeks of crisis in the U.S. Speaker of the House? If you are asking yourself this question, read on to learn why this matters, who the new speaker is, and a recap of the last few weeks of the crisis.
On October 4th 2023, the House of Representatives faced an unprecedented crisis when Kevin McCarthy, the house’s speaker, was voted out.
Subsequently, the House of Representatives grappled with the struggle to select a new leader. However, on October 25th, Mike Johnson was elected as the leader.
The Importance of the Leader
The Speaker of the House is the spokesperson for the majority party in the House of Representatives, which is responsible for passing and creating federal laws.
The Speaker of the House is second in line to the vice president and oversees debates in the House of Representatives.
However, during times of crisis, where the position is empty, the House cannot function effectively.
This is especially important now, during the Israel and Hamas War, as it cannot provide aid without a speaker. Consequently, they cannot vote to pass a resolution.
Notably, the Biden administration requested a whopping $105 billion in foreign aid, with $61 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, and comparatively $100 million for humanitarian assistance to Gaza and the West Bank.
Why was Kevin McCarthy voted Out?
Rep. Matt Gaetz initiated the process by filing a motion to vote out McCarthy.
This tool, motion to vacate, orders a snap election, reflecting the Republican’s sentiment that they were willing to remove him.
The motion is historic as it has not been used in over a century, representing the unprecedented nature of McCarthy’s removal.
Gaetz has threatened for months to kick McCarthy out, and the threats increased after relying on democrats for votes to pass a Senate bill which included a fund of 6$ billion fund for Ukraine.
The vote saved the government from a shutdown, but tensions increased between lawmakers regarding budget priorities.
Timeline of Events
Following McCarthy’s removal on October 4th 2023, Patrick McHenry was named the interim speaker.
McCarthy nominated Jim Jordan as his successor, while Steve Scalise, House Majority Leader, was also considered for the position.
On October 12th, Scalise withdrew from the race after insufficient support from Republicans.
Jim Jordan made a third unsuccessful bid for the speakership on October 20th. The subsequent nominees included:
- Rep. Kevin Hern, Oklahoma
- Rep. Jack Bergman, Michigan
- Rep. Mike Johnson, Louisiana
- Rep. Tom Emmer, Minnesota
- Rep. Bryon Donalds, Florida
- Rep. Jodey Arrington, Texas
- Rep. Roger Williams, Texas
- Rep. Pete Sessions, Texas
- Rep. Austin Scott, Georgia
- Rep. Dan Meuser, Pennsylvania
- As of NBC October 20th
Finally, on Wednesday, October 25th, Mike Johnson was elected as the 56th Speaker of the House of Representatives, ending the three-week crisis in Congress.
Notably, hours before, the previous nominee, Tom Emmer, dropped out of the race.
Who is Mike Johnson?
Mike Johnson, the Louisiana representative, is known for his solid religious conservatism. He is outspoken in opposing abortion rights, homosexuality, and gay marriage.
Furthermore, Mr Johnson is against further aid to Ukraine and promised his first bill would support Israel.
These stances and his support of Donald Trump have deeply concerned the Democrats in the House of Representatives.
What Next?
Alongside the commitment to the Israel support bill, another pressing agenda point in the House of Representatives revolves around the November 17th deadline.
The looming date stems from McCarthy’s deal to extend the budget deadline for six weeks.
The deadline regards whether or not to continue funding the government or risk the possibility of a government shutdown.
Sources
Biden announces $100 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza and West Bank. (2023, October 18). POLITICO. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/18/biden-humanitarian-aid-gaza-west-bank-00122212
Biden promises to request ‘unprecedented support package for Israel’s defense’ from Congress. (2023, October 18). CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/18/politics/congress-request-national-security-aid
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Freking, K. (2023, October 4). Kevin McCarthy out: 8 Republicans stood apart to remove him as House speaker | AP News. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b
Hill, B. B. D. &. S. C. O. C. (2023, October 20). Republicans drop Jim Jordan as US House Speaker nominee. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67174162
Mascaro, L., Freking, K., & Groves, S. (2023, October 1). Government shutdown averted with little time to spare as Biden signs funding before midnight | AP News. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8
McCordick, J. (2023, October 21). Biden unveils $105 billion foreign aid package as House turmoil continues. Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/10/biden-105-billion-israel-ukraine-foreign-aid
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Quinn, M., Watson, K., Killion, N., Yilek, C., & Linton, C. (2023, October 26). Mike Johnson elected House speaker with unanimous GOP support, ending weeks of chaos. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/house-speaker-vote-live-updates-10-25-2023/
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