house republican published a proposal On Wednesday, the House enacted rules that would make it more difficult to replace the speaker, an effort to protect Mike Johnson, or whoever ultimately takes the gavel.
In the current Congress, members of either party’s House of Representatives it may be possible to introduce Motion to vacate the chair. This would require the House to vote on a new speaker.
former chairman kevin mccarthy I made this rule in 2023 Concession After 15 embarrassing votes, he gave it to House Republicans in exchange for a vote for speaker.
Former Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz took advantage of this rule: kick out Mr. McCarthy in October 2023. and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia. I tried using it again A bill was introduced in May 2024 to oust Johnson, but Democrats voted to keep him in office to avoid the second House chaos in less than a year.
But the Republicans’ new rule proposal, scheduled to be voted on by the House during the swearing-in of the 119th Congress on Friday, would allow only members of the majority party to move to remove the speaker.
as Proposal status“A resolution creating a vacancy in the office of chairperson shall not be privileged unless it is introduced by a member of the majority party and has eight co-sponsors from the majority party at the time it is proposed.”
If adopted, the rules would eliminate the possibility of Mr Johnson being expelled if his MPs rebelled. Johnson, of course. must be chosen First the speaker, i.e. it’s not certain.
Johnson can afford to lose. one Republicans will gain a narrow majority and still be the speaker. Representative Thomas Massey, Republican of Kentucky, has already he said it wasn’t Voting for Mr. Johnson and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas). proposed Neither does he, putting Mr Johnson’s chairmanship in potential jeopardy.
It’s unclear whether anyone will challenge Johnson for the gavel, so Massey and Roy’s efforts will simply prevent the House from having a speaker and paralyze the chamber until they relent. If the speaker is not seated by January 6, Congress will not be able to certify Donald Trump’s victory.
Meanwhile, Democrats are furious about the Republicans’ proposed rule changes.
Rep. Jim McGovern, Democrat of Massachusetts, accused Republicans of “injecting partisan extremism into the rules.”
“Their proposed changes would, for the first time in history, shield the speaker from accountability to the entire chamber by allowing only Republicans to vacate the chair,” he said. I wrote to X. “This makes it clear that they have no intention of working together to find common ground. Instead of electing a Speaker of the House, they elect the Chairman of the Republican Conference who has been held hostage by the most radical members.” I have decided to do so.”
Other Democrats said the proposed rules showed Mr. Johnson’s weakness.
“I guess this travesty was necessary in the speaker’s head because his leadership is so tenuous,” said Rep. Joe Morrell, a New York Democrat. told Axios. “Without a ‘fix’ there is no way he ‘wins’ the match. But this is very concerning.”
The 119th Congress is already in chaos, and it hasn’t even begun yet.
