Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Wikipedia

Table Of Content

• Johnson sworn in as House speaker: "The people's House is back in business"
• Rep. Mike Johnson voted new House speaker
• Republicans Elect Mike Johnson as House Speaker, Ending Party Chaos
• Rep. Ann Wagner: 'HELL NO' on Jordan as speaker
• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says Speaker Mike Johnson should resign as Democrats signal potential support
• Luna reverses on support of Scalise
• Stefanik nominates Johnson for speaker
• House GOP members scheduled to hold a conference call on Friday

"I know that in your heart you love and care about this country and you want to do what's right and so we're going to find common ground," Johnson said. Johnson listed a number of his priorities, including border security, cutting federal spending and establishing a bipartisan debt commission "immediately." "The challenge before us is great, but the time for action is now and I will not let you down," Johnson said. In a statement distributed by the White House, President Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden extended their congratulations to Johnson, and the president reiterated his commitment to working with him "in good faith" for the American people. Mr. Emmer had attempted to mollify Mr. Trump by calling him over the weekend and praising him, according to the former president. The glimmer of consensus came only hours after Mr. Emmer’s abrupt exit made him the third Republican this month to be chosen to lead the party, only to have his bid collapse in a seemingly endless cycle of G.O.P. grievances, personality conflicts and ideological rifts.

Johnson sworn in as House speaker: "The people's House is back in business"

The next two figures in the House Republican leadership hierarchy, Majority Leader Richard Armey and Majority Whip Tom DeLay chose not to run for the office. The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Bob Livingston, declared his bid for the speakership, which was unopposed, making him speaker-designate. It was then revealed, by Livingston himself, who had been publicly critical of President Bill Clinton's alleged perjury during his sexual harassment trial, that he had engaged in an extramarital affair. He opted to resign from the House, despite being urged to stay on by House Democratic leader Gephardt.

Rep. Mike Johnson voted new House speaker

President Joe Biden spoke with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to congratulate him on winning the gavel in a call Saturday afternoon, according to the White House. "We actually interacted more this week than we have in the last four years. And if anything, that relationship-building is where it was at." “I have never been comfortable with CRs (continuing resolutions), but it … is going to be difficult for Mike and anyone who steps into that job, but I think he is going to do a great job,” Rep. Eli Crane, a Republican, told CNN. President Joe Biden spoke with newly minted Speaker Mike Johnson to congratulate him on his win, the White House said. Third, the speaker oversees everything from accounting to procurement for the House. Yet that style has appeared uniquely ill-suited to the challenge Mr. McCarthy faces of corralling a restive group of ideologically driven House Republicans that is obsessed with legislative details and skilled at procedural disruption.

Republicans Elect Mike Johnson as House Speaker, Ending Party Chaos

Jeffries urged swift action on a package to provide aid to Israel, Ukraine and other U.S. allies, which the White House has requested. "Our commitment to Israel's security is ironclad and Israel has a right to defend itself under the international rules of war against the brutal terror unleashed on its citizens by Hamas," Jeffries said. Johnson returned to the House to applause from those in the chamber, and McHenry called the House back into order. The first order of business for the House under the new speaker is to consider a resolution from Texas Rep. Mike McCaul "standing with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists."

If all 221 Republicans and 212 Democrats mark themselves present, Johnson will need 217 votes to win the gavel. Two seats are vacant due to the resignations of Reps. Chris Stewart, a Republican from Utah, and David Cicilline, a Democrat from Rhode Island. Johnson claimed to reporters that he's never opposed funding or aid for Ukraine. Turning to Jeffries, Aguilar said the Democratic leader has "never turned his back on the will of the American people." The California Democrat noted Johnson's role in the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Johnson won the speaker's gavel in a single round of voting, with the support of all Republicans in attendance.

Former President Donald J. Trump made a crucially timed call to Representative Matt Gaetz on Friday night after the Florida congressman voted “present” and sunk Kevin McCarthy’s 14th effort to be elected House speaker. The vitriolic attack on the top candidate for speaker from a member of his own party led some of Mr. McCarthy’s supporters to walk off the House floor while he spoke. And by the end of the day, with the majority of the detractors finally coalescing around Mr. McCarthy, Mr. Gaetz appeared to have softened his tone. "Mike is a strong leader who has the full support of our entire conference, and has a proven track record as a conservative leader who will fight for the American people against President Biden's radical agenda that is crushing hard-working families," Scalise said in the statement.

Luna reverses on support of Scalise

Two colleagues had spoken up to say they would join Greene in such a vote, giving her enough to defeat the speaker if all the chamber's Democrats voted to do the same. That's what the Democrats did when a motion to vacate the chair ousted the last Republican speaker, Kevin McCarthy, last fall. And the House, where the GOP holds a slim majority, has paused proceedings as he doesn't yet have the votes to get to 217. Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, posted on X that he plans to vote for Jordan in a floor vote for speaker. He said that he had come to this decision because "it has become evident that all the agreements and Rules with the former Speaker are null and void." “The bottom line is we have a very fractured conference, and to limit ourselves to just getting 217 out of our conference, I think, is not a wise path,” Rogers said, adding that Republicans may “absolutely” need some Democratic votes to elect a speaker.

Stefanik nominates Johnson for speaker

The shift from Democrats is noteworthy given their lockstep support of the motion to vacate that led to the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in October, which ultimately resulted in Johnson’s getting the gavel. Members tried to remove speakers in previous congressional terms, but no motion ever reached the floor for a vote. Ryan, then just 45, was the youngest speaker in nearly 150 years but had already been party's vice presidential nominee on the 2012 ticket. Once he had Boehner's job, however, he experienced much the same internal strife. Ryan also had a strained relationship with then-President Donald Trump, with whom he had a falling out during the fall 2016 campaign. In April 2018, Ryan said he would not serve another term and left as the party was losing its majority that fall.

House GOP members scheduled to hold a conference call on Friday

Johnson says that he will bring to the floor “in just a little while” a resolution in support of Israel. “We’re going to show not only Israel but the entire world that the barbarism of Hamas" is "wretched and wrong,” he said. Johnson said Republicans would "dispense with all of the usual ceremonies and celebrations” and get to work. “You’re going to see an aggressive schedule in the days and weeks ahead,” he said. “From an outside point of view these last few weeks probably look like total chaos, confusion, no end in sight," he said. "But from my perspective, this is one of the greatest experiences of the recent history of our republic." Representative Ken Buck of Colorado said that Mr. Johnson was not involved in postelection efforts to invalidate the results, even though Mr. Johnson was a critical player in those activities.

Inside House Speaker Mike Johnson's conversion on aid for Ukraine - Financial Times

Inside House Speaker Mike Johnson's conversion on aid for Ukraine.

Posted: Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:59:35 GMT [source]

The meeting of House Republicans has not yet ended, and most of the members remain behind closed doors — where they may be deciding what to do next. So McHenry will have to go back to the floor at some point to adjourn until a specific time. In a post on X, embattled Rep. George Santos wrote, "I applaud Congressman Steve Scalise for his diligence and hard work." That is a reversal from his comments last night declaring himself to be "an ANYONE but Scalise" voter. At least one House Republican is more than just a no on Jordan as a potential nominee for speaker.

Republicans fume over House speaker's fundraiser for ‘turncoat’ Texas rep who called far-right lawmakers ‘scumbags’ - New York Post

Republicans fume over House speaker's fundraiser for ‘turncoat’ Texas rep who called far-right lawmakers ‘scumbags’.

Posted: Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:33:00 GMT [source]

House Republicans are scheduled to hold a conference call Friday, a source familiar tells CNN. McCarthy also denied that any members would lose committee assignments and said there have been no negotiations that involved giving subcommittee chairmanships to dissidents. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., a moderate who is on the Foreign Affairs Committee, blasted Greene’s effort to oust Johnson on Sunday when he was asked about her criticism of the foreign aid package. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene maintained Sunday that she plans to follow through with an effort to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson if he doesn’t resign after the House passed a $95 billion package that includes foreign aid for Ukraine. Nicholas Longworth, speaker of the House, holds a gun once owned by famous outlaw Jesse James on Jan. 23, 1930.

The dissidents praised the protracted debate that spotlighted their party’s rifts, made it impossible for legislative business to be conducted and threatened the timely issuance of paychecks on Capitol Hill. The prolonged election prompted tension and uncertainty in the Capitol, where lawmakers in both parties had grown impatient and bored awaiting the outcome of a high-stakes struggle that seemed at once monumental and absurd. Mr. Gaetz refused to budge, and Mr. McCarthy’s allies moved to adjourn the House until Monday, crestfallen after a defeat they had not anticipated. Republicans quickly switched their votes to oppose the adjournment and proceeded to a 15th speaker vote, which ended well after midnight. Mr. McCarthy, who rarely moved from his seat over the days of votes, approached Mr. Gaetz and Ms. Boebert in their seats and appeared to be pleading with them to change their votes, his signature smile wiped from his face. At one point, Representative Mike Rogers, Republican of Alabama, had to be restrained after stepping toward Mr. Gaetz.

House Republicans chose and then quickly repudiated yet another of their nominees for speaker on Tuesday and rushed to name a fourth, pressing to put an end to a remarkable three-week-long deadlock that has left Congress leaderless and paralyzed. Mr. Johnson was only able to emerge as his party’s nominee for speaker this week after three other G.O.P. nominees before him were unable to rally enough support. On Nov. 8, 2020, Mr. Johnson was onstage at a northwest Louisiana church speaking about Christianity in America when Mr. Trump called. Mr. Johnson had been in touch with the president’s team on his myriad legal challenges seeking to overturn the results, “to restore the integrity of our election process,” according to a Facebook post by Mr. Johnson recounting the exchange.

"From the very beginning of this Congress, House Democrats have been governing for the people," Jeffries said. "We continue to look forward to finding bipartisan common ground whenever and wherever possible." Jeffries, the Democratic leader, presented him with the gavel, calling him a "family man, a hardworking man, a Baptist man, a Southern man, a son of a firefighter's household." "I think all the American people at one time had great pride in this institution, but right now that's in jeopardy," he said.

Through six votes in two days, GOP leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy has not been able to get a majority of votes needed to win the speakership. The speaker is selected by the full House membership, though the majority party’s voting power ensures that the role is occupied by one of their own. If the House speaker election has felt endless to you, take a second to imagine the experiences of the chamber’s reading clerks — the two people who have read out the names of every representative in attendance, and recorded their votes, 13 times now, with a 14th expected Friday night.

In his blueprint for the next few months, Johnson said a stopgap measure extending funding until January or April may be needed to approve more spending and avoid a shutdown. The House has been in a state of uncertainty and chaos since Oct. 3, when rebels forced a vote to oust Mr. McCarthy as speaker. Eight Republicans backed that move along with Democrats, who remained united behind their own leader, Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Republicans had cast aside two previous winners of their closed-door nominating process — Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio — before settling on Mr. Emmer. He has also opposed continued funding for the war in Ukraine, which has emerged as a bitter fault line in the G.O.P. and in the spending battles that any new speaker will have to navigate in the coming days. Pressed by reporters on Tuesday night about his efforts to overturn the election, Mr. Johnson smiled and shook his head, saying, “next question,” as Republicans beside him booed.