The Republican-controlled House on Friday passed proposed rules that would make it more difficult to remove the speaker from office.
Under the new rules package, which passed the House on a close party-line vote of 215-209, a motion to vacate the speaker would require at least nine members of the speaker's same party to support the effort. Vote.
The voting threshold for a motion to abstain was previously 1.
Republicans agreed to the rule changes in November as part of an effort to avoid a repeat of the insurrection against former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), which halted proceedings in the House for about three weeks. 2023.
Former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) used the member-only standard to force a vote on the motion to remove Speaker, with 208 Democrats and 8 Republicans voting in favor of removing Speaker McCarthy. It was passed after a vote was made.
The changes to the rules package came hours after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), who survived last April's impeachment vote, was reelected.
Mr. Johnson, 52, surprisingly won on the first ballot despite several Republicans. There had been indications in the days leading up to the vote that no decision had been taken on Mr Johnson's candidacy, amid dissatisfaction with the way the Speaker had handled recent negotiations to keep the government funded.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) was joined by two other Republicans, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina) and Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas), in the final vote. After reversing his vote, he became the only Republican to vote against Johnson. Minutes.
The rule package also includes provisions dissolving the Congressional Office of Diversity and Inclusion and renaming the House Oversight and Accountability Committee the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The Office of Congressional Ethics will become the Office of Congressional Conduct.
In addition to these adjustments, the rule package opens voting on several Republican-backed bills, including a border security bill and a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote in elections. The bill had already passed the House of Representatives last year but was not adopted. Go up to the Senate.
