Table Of Content
- Johnson says he "feels very good" about speaker vote
- House GOP conference chair Elise Stefanik nominates Mike Johnson: "Today is the day we get this done"
- JUST IN: Rep. Mike Johnson voted new House speaker
- Who is Mike Johnson? Five things to know about the new Republican House speaker
- What comes next after Johnson's election
WASHINGTON (AP) — A low-key lawmaker in Congress for less than a decade, new House Speaker Mike Johnson isn’t recognizable to most Americans. But the social conservative and devoted ally of former President Donald Trump has been a quiet force within the Republican conference he now unexpectedly leads. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy — who was ousted from the speakership earlier this month — voted for speaker designee Mike Johnson, resulting in applause from fellow Republican members. Critics have dubbed it a federal "don't say gay" measure and argued that it's aimed at barring references to LGBTQ people. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, who voted for Majority Leader Steve Scalise on each of the three ballots during House voting last week, said he plans to back Johnson when the lower chamber convenes to elect a new speaker. He accused GOP lawmakers of working to find a candidate for speaker who can pass their "extreme litmus test" opposing marriage equality, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and enacting nationwide restrictions on abortion.
Johnson says he "feels very good" about speaker vote
With less than seven years under his belt, Johnson has a shorter length of service in the House than past speakers in modern history. McCarthy was in the House for 16 years before he was elected speaker, Pelosi had 20 years of experience, Paul Ryan served for 16 years, and John Boehner had 20 years before he ascended to the top job. Wednesday morning, hours before an expected vote, Trump, the de facto leader of the Republican Party, said he wasn't technically endorsing Johnson but suggesting the House elect him.
House GOP conference chair Elise Stefanik nominates Mike Johnson: "Today is the day we get this done"
An attorney with a focus on constitutional law, Johnson joined a group of House Republicans in voting to sustain the objection to electoral votes on January 6, 2021. During Trump’s first impeachment trial in January 2020, Johnson, along with a group of other GOP lawmakers, served a largely ceremonial role in Trump’s Senate impeachment team. Speaking after the vote, Johnson vowed to hit the ground running and get the House back to work. Johnson, a little-known lawmaker who is now second in line for the presidency, attracted the support of all 220 Republican members in attendance, surpassing the 215-vote total that was required to win. Sources told CNN earlier Wednesday that there was a "big push" to bring the bill to the floor once the House elected a new speaker.
JUST IN: Rep. Mike Johnson voted new House speaker
Emmer voted to certify the 2020 election results after Jan. 6, 2021, but signed onto an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to overturn the presidential election results. Trump seemed to acknowledge his role in killing Emmer's quest for the gavel, as he shared on his social media platform an article from Politico about how the former president "torpedoed" the bid. The former president noted that all of them have supported him "in both mind and spirit" since he won the White House in 2016 and said the five candidates "are beyond reproach and represent the absolute best there is in the Republican Party."
"Our mission here is to serve you well, to restore the people's faith in this House in this great and essential institution." By the same token, Mr. Biden noted that the nation expects House Republicans to work across the aisle with him and Senate Democrats to address "urgent" national security needs and grow the economy. It will need to come up as a suspension vote — an expedited process that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. This marks a clear departure from how those same members viewed former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision earlier this month to put a short-term spending bill on the floor, which ultimately led to his ouster. After three weeks without a speaker, the House voted Wednesday to elect Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana.
The Senate passed its own version shortly after the House acted, and members from both chambers are now working to reconcile the two versions and craft a consensus bill. The House and Senate Committees on Agriculture have been holding field hearings, and the Republican and Democratic leaders of those panels met with Mr. Biden in May to discuss the importance of passing the legislation this year. He has received more campaign money from that industry during his seven years in Congress than any other and, like many of his GOP colleagues, has repeatedly downplayed climate change. Free from the political baggage that can come with a higher profile, the affable Johnson, 51, promises to restore faith in Congress as he assumes the speakership under remarkable circumstances.
Who is Mike Johnson? Five things to know about the new Republican House speaker
"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. Washington — Rep. Mike Johnson, a Republican of Louisiana, won election as the new speaker of the House on Wednesday, ending three weeks of chaos since Rep. Kevin McCarthy's historic ouster. House Speaker Mike Johnson entered the speaker's office for the first time after being sworn in, with his new name plate hanging above the door. “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.
What comes next after Johnson's election
There's Still No House Speaker. What Happens Now? - The New York Times
There's Still No House Speaker. What Happens Now?.
Posted: Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
He said another stopgap measure — known as a continuing resolution — might be needed to prevent the Senate from "jam[ming] the House with a Christmas omnibus," referring to a consolidated spending bill. He said a continuing resolution could have a deadline of Jan. 15 or April 15, depending on the consensus in the GOP conference. The challenge for House Republicans is they still have eight more spending bills to pass including two that have been stuck in committee because of disagreements within GOP ranks. In his letter to colleagues, Johnson set out an aggressive time table for passing the bills, but the issue will be finding a way to pass the legislation in just a narrow GOP majority. The Senate and the White House are still controlled by Democrats and any spending bill passed will need Democratic support to become law and avert a shutdown. But what you hear from conservatives – at least in the minutes before and after Johnson won the speaker’s election – is they are willing to give some room for Johnson to maneuver in his new role.
He voted against bipartisan legislation to codify same-sex marriage, which Biden signed into law last year. In Biden’s first two years, Johnson voted against a slew of bipartisan bills — including one to establish a Jan. 6 independent commission, the infrastructure law, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, a modest new gun law and the CHIPS and Science Act. "I made my decision based on my relationship with the conference," Emmer told reporters when asked whether Trump helped doom his candidacy.
He would work with newer members on the panel and use his expertise in constitutional law to advise on the best way to frame questions. Addressing the House after his election, Johnson repeatedly invoked his Christian faith and talked about his upbringing — his mother was 17 when he was born, he said, and his father was a firefighter who was injured in the line of duty. He promised to quickly move forward on conservative priorities like support for Israel and border security. Most importantly, he was able to get all of their 220 votes to become speaker on the House floor. That’s something none of his more well-known colleagues were able to do, as Republicans struggled for more than three weeks to pick a replacement for ousted Kevin McCarthy.
The consideration of individual spending bills was one of the demands made by GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida and other who rebelled against McCarthy when he endorsed a temporary extension of government funding. Across the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters he looks forward to sitting down with Johnson and finding a bipartisan way to avoid a shutdown before government funding expires in mid-November. "We need to move swiftly to address our national security needs and to avoid a shutdown in 22 days. Even though we have real disagreements about important issues, there should be mutual effort to find common ground wherever we can," the president said. "This is a time for all of us to act responsibly, and to put the good of the American people and the everyday priorities of American families above any partisanship." Johnson now faces a daunting list of challenges, with a fast-approaching government shutdown chief among them. 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment