2023-10-19 19:52:28
The Republicans in the US House of Representatives have abandoned a plan to overcome the deadlock in the congressional chamber that has been ongoing for more than two weeks with the help of the interim chairman. Instead, following a party meeting that lasted several hours, MP Jim Jordan announced today that he would run for election for a third time.
A date for this was not initially given. Several US media outlets had reported that the powers of provisional chairman Patrick McHenry should be expanded so that Congress as a whole can work once more. Rep. Byron Donalds told CNN there weren’t enough votes for that. Citing the U.S. Constitution, he explained that you can’t just “place new powers in someone’s lap.”
Power struggle blocks Congress
The Republicans only hold a comparatively small majority in the House of Representatives and are therefore dependent on the votes of a group of ultra-conservative representatives. They overthrew the previous Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, on October 3rd. Since then, no path to agreement on a new speaker has been apparent.
Jordan has already lost two votes, McCarthy ended up needing 15 votes in January. The internal power struggle means that Congress cannot approve any new funds for the Ukraine war or the Gaza conflict. Democratic President Joe Biden is expected to ask Congress later this week for billions more in aid for Israel and Ukraine.
1697747188
#Chairmanship #Congress #vote #Jordan
