The new proposed House Rules package contains a measure to nix the ability of a single House member to force a vote on the motion to vacate the House Speaker position in the upcoming Congress. The proposed package, instead, sets the threshold of needing nine House members to force a vote on a motion to vacate the House Speaker.
According to Just the News, a member who introduces a motion to vacate the House Speaker position has to have the support of eight other members of the majority party in the House of Representatives in order to have the motion considered. The rules package will be the second vote of the 119th Congress, coming after the speaker is elected, per ABC News. A simple majority is needed to approve the rules.
The previous rule was that a lone member of the majority in the House could force a motion to vacate the House Speaker position, which would then go to a vote. The rule with the one member allowed for Matt Gatz to previously bring a motion to vacate House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from the position. After a vote, McCarthy was ousted and replaced with Mike Johnson.
Johnson is facing a vote for the Speaker position on Friday, and some GOP House members have suggested that he should not keep the role. Johnson has been threatened with similar situations during his time in the position.
In the last weeks of the 118th Congress, some took issue with how he handled the government spending package, which took three attempts to pass. Ultimately, Congress was able to avert a government shutdown with the deal, but as a result, some have questioned Johnson's ability to lead the GOP lawmakers. The rule change will not go into effect until the GOP elects a House Speaker, Politico reported.
President-elect Donald Trump, however, has endorsed him ahead of the Friday vote. Trump said on Truth Social earlier this week, and said, "Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!"
