House may vote on empowering interim speaker McHenry
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Rep. Patrick McHenry in his role as interim speaker. Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Image
A Republican-led effort is in the works to try to temporarily empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) to oversee the passage of legislation as soon as Wednesday, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Republican infighting has left the House without a speaker for two weeks, with a growing Mideast crisis and a U.S. government shutdown just a month away.
- McHenry has interpreted his role as solely to elect a new speaker and House business has ground to a halt.
Driving the news: Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio), the chair of the moderate Republican Governance Group, plans to introduce the measure, a House Republican and another source familiar with the effort confirmed to Axios.
- Joyce plans to try to introduce a privileged motion, which would force the House to vote on the resolution within two legislative days, if Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) fails to win the speaker vote on the second ballot.
- But the plan is dependent on McHenry recognizing Joyce on the House floor – which is not a guaranteed outcome.
The latest: Jordan said Wednesday he wants a vote on the measure in addition to the speaker vote, but two House Republicans told Axios that Jordan's team is urging Republicans to vote against the measure.
- One of the GOP lawmakers argued the tactic could dent Jordan's support for speaker.
- A senior GOP source told Axios that Jordan wants to demonstrate he is the only option to end the speaker vacancy.
- Jordan spokesperson Russell Dye told Axios it is "not true" they are whipping against the resolution and that they are only focused on the spea "ker election.
What they're saying: "After two weeks without a Speaker of the House and no clear candidate with 217 votes in the Republican conference, it is time to look at other viable options," Joyce said in a statement.
- "By empowering Patrick McHenry as Speaker Pro Tempore we can take care of our ally Israel until a new Speaker is elected."
State of play: Republicans appear no closer to a speaker after two nominees than the day former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted in a historic vote called by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
- 20 House Republicans voted for someone other than Jordan on his first floor vote as the GOP's speaker nominee.
- There's currently no clear challenger to Jordan, who was nominated on Friday after initial nominee Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) abandoned his bid.
What we're hearing: Some Republicans have been resistant to the idea, but the GOP lawmaker familiar with the effort said they expect their party to back the push because, if Jordan fails, they will be "out of options."
- Some Republicans who support empowering McHenry also argue the resolution is unnecessary: "The [speaker pro tempore] does not require a vote of the House to act," said one. "The authority and responsibility to do so is inherent in the title."
Yes, but: Several Democratic lawmakers and aides told Axios they haven't seen the measure and that they would likely oppose it if it doesn't include any limitations on McHenry's power.
- One centrist Democrat told Axios there would "have to be strict guardrails" to keep McHenry from governing in a strictly partisan fashion.
- Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) said he wants the measure to include time limits and require votes on government funding and emergency foreign aid packages, but "if it's full empowerment, that's another story."
- "Minimally there would have to be an understanding of the near term agenda," said a senior House Democrat.
