Rep. Kevin McCarthy Wins House Speakership

Newly-elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) spoke with reporters in Statue Hall at the Capitol on Saturday morning.
Newly-elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) spoke with reporters in Statue Hall at the Capitol on Saturday morning. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

After a day-long stalemate, with the House Speaker selected and House members finally sworn in, the House can focus on resuming business and organizing Republican-led committees.

Every new Congress must pass a new set of House rules, and doing so will be at the top of the 118th Congress’ to-do list when the House reconvenes on Monday.

With a Republican majority in the House, new powers to set the agenda emerged — investigative and legislative.

Legislative agenda: House Republicans would be limited in their ability to pass bills in Congress, while Democrats control the Senate and the White House — where the president can veto legislation. Still, House Republicans will be able to push a messaging bill that highlights their agenda.

In an exclusive interview with CNN ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy outlined his plan for power.

These programs include:

  • fight inflation
  • Rising crime and border security
  • He also left the door open to launching eventual impeachment proceedings, which some of his members have begun calling for

There are also policy issues that must be passed — such as funding the government — that will test the ability of Republicans and Democrats to work together.

Read more about what Republicans plan to do with their new House majority Gentlemen

Source link