“I consider myself a wartime speaker,” declared House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana).
However, it is unclear whether he was referring to the internal fight within the Republican Party over whether Johnson should remain in office.
Many members wear suits and pocket squares. But Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie disagrees. He walks around with his home-made diode “debt clock” plugged into his jacket breast pocket to keep track of his rapidly increasing debts. Massey’s rising financial chronometer could have read him an additional $34 trillion this week. But on Tuesday morning, the only number that mattered at the Capitol was “2.” Like Massie and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), two House members who were ready to oust Johnson from office.
“There will be a motion[to remove Johnson]and he will lose more votes than[former House Speaker]Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). I told him in confidence about two weeks ago,” Massey said. .
Republican rebels stall Johnson’s border bill amid anger over foreign aid
A reporter asked Massey what it meant to be without a leader for the second time in less than a year.
“Some may say we don’t have a rudder, but we do have a rudder. We steer everything towards (Senate Majority Leader) Chuck Schumer, D.N.Y. “Yes,” Massey replied. “Nothing has changed. So if the country likes Chuck Schumer, they should like what Speaker Johnson has accomplished in the House.”
There is power in numbers, even if they are low. After all, it’s about math. The issue is even more important in the House, which is currently split 218 Republicans to 213 Democrats. That slim Republican majority shrunk to 217-213 with the resignation of Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.). Gallagher was scheduled to retire on Friday. But Foxx has been told that the Wisconsin Republican will hold out at least until Saturday, when the House of Representatives is expected to approve an additional international aid package for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.
Mr Green beamed at his support for Mr Massey’s efforts to remove Mr Johnson.
House Republicans are unhappy with calls by Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massey to replace Speaker Johnson. (Getty Images)
“It was important,” Green said of Massey’s support. “This also lets people know that this is much more serious than people think.”
Greene echoed Massey’s sentiments, suggesting there would be “more Republicans who would vote to fire Johnson than there would be against Kevin McCarthy.”
This is Green’s problem. She doesn’t have anyone on the floor who can get the speaker’s vote. That’s why the House of Commons spent its scheduled 22 days last October beating out three speaker candidates before finally settling on Mr. Johnson. Even if the House of Representatives approves the “Motion to Resign the Speaker” (the “MTV” for removing the Speaker), it is unclear how long it will take to elect a replacement.
“I don’t think the threat is really real at this point, just because there’s no alternative,” said Rep. Garrett Graves (R-Louisiana), a former top aide to Mr. McCarthy. “We saw what happened last fall when everything went down. There is no alternative.”
House of Representatives considers 17 bills related to Iran/Israel this week
Graves said many conservatives furious with Johnson “haven’t thought beyond step one. That’s why we have so many problems here and now.”
Mr. Graves argued that the “painful scar” from Mr. McCarthy’s failure is “a significant disincentive for those who would actually trigger an eviction motion.”
There was a huge backlash from conservatives after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a four-pronged approach to tackling the Middle East. Especially after the House planned its course for the week on 17 bills dealing with either Israel or Iran. Prime Minister Johnson adjusted his arguments on foreign aid measures. He planned a bill against Israel. One for Ukraine. One is for Taiwan. The final bill would include a plan to seize Russian assets and give some aid to Ukraine as a “lease.” It’s an option supported by former President Trump. However, the sweetener in Bill 4 would be a measure to curb the use of TikTok in the United States.
The House will then combine the four bills and send them to the Senate.
Speaker Mike Johnson is scheduled to discuss the future direction of support for Ukraine and Israel in a closed House Republican meeting. (Getty Images)
“It has a chance of passing,” Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, said Tuesday morning. But by “MIRVing” them together to make it seem like they are actually separate votes, he ends up with the effect of one vote. So it’s all smoke and mirrors. ”
Davidson characterized TikTok’s regulations as “camouflage to protect America.”
“Would you like to ‘MIRV’ together?”
“MIRV” is the Capitol Hill vocabulary you’re likely to hear as the House moves forward with four separate foreign aid bills, combining them into one for efficiency purposes before sending the bill to the Senate. .
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It’s pronounced “merve”. “MIRV” is a relic of the Cold War era, and there are many missiles between the United States and the Soviet Union. Abbreviation for “Multiple Independently-Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle.” Each MIRV was fitted with multiple nuclear warheads, or “MIRVs.” This became a point of contention between the United States and the Soviet Union. Does MIRV count as one missile or as 4 or 5 missiles?
The idea is that the House would vote on individual bills, then mix them up and send them to the Senate.
Congress MIRV!
That’s why conservatives are so angry about Johnson’s plan. There are 4 bills. Or is it one?
Mr Johnson defended Operation MIRV.
(Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“I’m concerned that if it’s not included in the package, Israel won’t be able to get it through the Senate right now,” Johnson said. “If you separate them, none of our priorities will be reflected.”
Conservatives are also pleading with Prime Minister Boris Johnson to include border security in his plans. But that may not be possible.
“We don’t have the votes. If we put Ukraine in some package, we don’t have border control because we lose Republican votes with that rule. My friends don’t understand,” Johnson replied.
“Are they still your friends?” I really asked.
“They’re all my friends,” Johnson said. “I love everyone in this building.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson decided on Monday to oppose the streamlined Senate aid bill approved in February, instead going his own way. Initial information about the project was scant.
“What are they doing there?” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) asked your reporters as we both emerged from the Capitol on Monday night. I asked.
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What it did was the House’s approach to international aid packages. But “over there” referred to the U.S. House of Representatives and the hostile, untamed political wilderness beyond the confines of the Capitol Rotunda.
The Senate is not a peaceful place. But when you consider the members of the House of Representatives, the Senate is effectively Xanadu. Particularly as Republicans skirmish over foreign aid, leadership and the wartime chairmanship.
