Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, initiated a motion to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson. Despite conservative objections, the US House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill to avoid a government shutdown. Greene filed the motion before the voting on the spending agreement concluded.
The spending package was passed with a two-thirds majority, with 286 votes in favor and 134 votes against. However, Greene expressed her disappointment, stating that the bill forced Republicans to choose between funding for the military and supporting late-term abortion. She criticized the bill for being favorable to the Democrats and the White House.
While the Senate voted 74-24 in favor of the bill, allowing the government to stay open, Greene claimed that the process was primarily led by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. She emphasized that it was time for Republicans to go through the process of finding a new House Speaker who would stand with the Republican majority instead of the Democrats.
Unlike a previous motion to vacate that ousted Kevin McCarthy as speaker, Greene’s motion does not trigger an immediate vote. Instead, she intended to give Johnson a warning. Republicans in the House expressed little interest in joining the motion, citing the difficulties faced during the 22-day period without a speaker after McCarthy’s ouster last year.
Various representatives shared their opinions on the motion. Republican Wisconsin Representative Mike Gallagher stated that he was not concerned about the motion to vacate the speaker. However, hours later, Gallagher announced his resignation from Congress, reducing the Republican majority to just one vote.
While the funding agreement passed, Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett expressed her relief, stating that it was about time legislation was approved. Republican Michigan Rep Lisa McClain also acknowledged the importance of moving forward and questioned the purpose of the motion to vacate.
The spending bill was part of an agreement between House and Senate leadership, as well as the leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The legislation includes special immigrant visas for Afghans who assisted US servicemembers and covers various departments like State, Pentagon, Homeland Security, Congress, Health and Human Services, Education, and financial services.
Overall, the motion to vacate the House Speaker, initiated by Marjorie Taylor Greene, showcases internal tensions within the Republican party. While Greene’s motion may not lead to an immediate vote, it highlights the desire among some Republicans to find a new speaker who aligns more closely with their party’s values. The passing of the spending bill averts a government shutdown and provides funding for several crucial departments. However, it also exposes divisions within both the Republican and Democratic parties, with objections coming from both ends of the political spectrum.