Official proceedings and records of the U.S. House of Representatives

House GOP Rules Raise Speaker Ouster Threshold to Nine Amid Democratic Criticism

Jan 1, 2025, 05:51 PM

House Republicans have unveiled a new rules package for the 119th Congress, which includes increasing the threshold for a motion to vacate the Speaker's position from one member to nine members of the majority party. This change, agreed upon in November by leaders of the House Freedom Caucus and the Main Street Caucus, aims to address internal party challenges after previous rules allowed a single member to initiate the process, leading to the ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The rules package also includes renaming the Oversight and Accountability Committee back to the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and eliminating the Diversity and Inclusion office. Democrats, including Rules Committee Ranking Member Jim McGovern, have criticized the changes, arguing they shield the Speaker from accountability to the entire chamber. Speaker Mike Johnson has faced challenges similar to those of his predecessor, including reliance on Democratic votes to pass legislation. The House is expected to vote on the package on Friday.