After nearly 22 days without a Speaker for the House of Representatives, the void has finally been filled! Previous Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted by his own caucus after 8 Republicans questioned his ability to represent the party.
The Speaker is a pivotal figure in the U.S. government, elected by all House members typically from the majority party. They act as the primary spokesperson and leader for the majority, articulating their ideas and goals. They oversee legislative proceedings to maintain order in the House as well as manage operational aspects like scheduling and committee assignments.
With the U.S. involved in many international conflicts, the need for a House Speaker is at an all time high.
After three failed GOP nominations, Mike Johnson was voted in as the new Speaker on Wednesday, October 25th. Representative Johnson, a Louisiana Republican first elected in 2016, is most known for playing a role in challenging the 2020 election. He has a very conservative voting record and has opposed abortion rights and LGBTQ equality. Endorsed by Donald Trump, Johnson was nominated as a consensus candidate.
As Speaker, Johnson is expected to push a conservative agenda, including overdue spending bills and avoiding a shutdown. He aims to prioritize border security, address the national debt, and respond to Biden's request for aid to Israel and Ukraine. While Republicans agree on Israel and border funding, Ukraine aid remains divisive.
Moments after becoming Speaker, one of Johnson's first acts was legislative support for Israel.
As the least experienced Speaker in 140 years and now second in line to the presidency behind the Vice President, Johnson has much on his plate and high expectations to deliver impressive results for the House.
Thank you for listening to this C2 story and share with us your thoughts on newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson!
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