The man charged with leading the House of Representatives until a new speaker can be elected laid out the schedule for doing just that Friday afternoon before the House recessed for the weekend.
House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry told reporters that the extra time off was “an important thing for House Republicans.”
“House Republicans will return on Monday at 6:30 p.m. for a candidate forum,” he said, “followed by an election process on Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m.”
“The reason why I made that decision is that we need space and time for candidates to speak to other members,” the North Carolina Republican explained. “It’s fair to say that Leader [Steve] Scalise wasn’t given adequate time; he had 24 hours to campaign, I don’t think that was right for him. Our nominee, [Jim] Jordan, was given a little more time, not right for him. The conference made a decision that we’re going to move forward with a new speaker nominee today.
“But the space and time for a reset I think is an important thing for House Republicans,” he added.
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) said House Republicans will return Monday at 6:30pm for a candidate forum and will hold an election on Tuesday morning at 9am. “The space and time for a reset is an important thing for House republicans.” pic.twitter.com/3PboLO4v5b
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 20, 2023
McHenry also explained that, even while the House is speaker-less, the work of the House committees continues.
He singled out Alabama’s Mike Rogers, chair of the House Committee on Armed Services; Ohio’s Michael Turner, chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Texas’ Michael McCaul, chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs; and Texas’ Kay Granger, chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, as all continuing their work, even without a speaker.
“Now, on the national security front, we have fully constituted committees. Committees can still work, and they are working: Chairman Rogers, Chairman Turner, Chairman McCaul, Chairwoman Granger, are all working,” McHenry said.
“I want to thank the administration for their briefings on the supplemental requests for national security. Our committees are working with the administration, and the goal there, for our committees, is to be ready to ready to respond legislatively once we have a duly elected speaker of the House.”
He also pointed to his own chairmanship, expressing a desire to be speaking to reporters in that capacity, as opposed to doing so as the speaker pro tempore.
“And it’s my goal to be talking to you at this time next Friday as chairman of the financial services committee,” he said.
As he walked away from the microphones after wishing the assembled members of the media a good weekend, one reporter asked if he planned to hold a floor vote for the speakership on Tuesday.
“That would be the plan,” McHenry responded.
The Western Journal has previously reported that Republicans would hold a secret ballot at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday before bringing their new designee to the floor for a vote of the full House.
At least six Republicans have already announced their candidacy for the role; three others were reported to be considering it.
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