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Important questions surrounding the Speaker of the US House of Representatives losing his position 0
(Dan Tri) – The `uprising` of the hard-line Republican House of Representatives has caused the position of Speaker of the US House of Representatives and the important role of this position in the United States’ political system to receive a lot of attention.
Former US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (Photo: Bloomberg).
The US House of Representatives fell into a state of paralysis after the historic vote to dismiss Mr. Kevin McCarthy on October 3.
With the US government running out of money again on November 18 and major issues like aid to Ukraine hanging in the balance, Republicans can’t do much of what they want until they choose a new House Speaker –
What position is the Speaker of the US House of Representatives?
According to the US Constitution, the Speaker of the House of Representatives plays the role of overseeing the work of the House of Representatives – one of the two chambers of the US Congress.
The Chairman can set the House’s legislative agenda, control staff appointments to committees, set voting and working schedules, and is responsible for ensuring membership unity.
One reason why the Speaker of the House of Representatives is important is because the House of Representatives is considered the body that has the most direct contact with the people, so it is given the power by the US Constitution to enact all budget bills.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is also second in line of succession if the US President cannot continue to hold office (due to death or removal), after the Vice President.
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The US Constitution does not require the Speaker of the House of Representatives to be a member of Congress, so Mr. Trump theoretically has the opportunity to become the new Speaker of the House of Representatives (Photo: New York Times).
Why is the Speaker of the House of Representatives important?
The Speaker of the House is one of the most powerful positions in Washington D.C.
Depending on the partisan makeup of the US Congress, the Speaker of the House can help fulfill or derail the US President’s agenda, stymie the opposition and spearhead the nation’s biggest legislative initiatives.
A wise House Speaker can rally party members to suit the party’s agenda, while controlling rebellious members by providing incentives or sanctions.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat who resigned when Republicans took control of the House on January 3, is considered one of the most effective House Speakers of modern times.
Although the Democratic House of Representatives is divided into many factions, such as progressives, moderates and conservative Democrats, Ms. Pelosi can still use the tools in the hands of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
How is the Speaker of the House chosen?
The US House of Representatives operates on a 2-year cycle.
During its first session, the new House of Representatives must elect a Speaker before it can perform any other functions.
If the Speaker of the House of Representatives is dismissed midway like Mr. McCarthy, the interim Chairman will be chosen according to the secret succession list that the Chairman provides at the beginning of the term.
The current Speaker of the House of Representatives – and the first in US history – is Republican Congressman Patrick McHenry.
If the process of electing a new leader becomes deadlocked, the House of Representatives can give Mr. McHenry the authority for a certain period of time to preside over debates and votes on regular bills.
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Mr. Patrick McHenry is currently the interim Speaker of the House of Representatives (Photo: Bloomberg).
What can the US House of Representatives do without the Speaker?
Without a new Speaker, the US House of Representatives cannot conduct legislative functions, such as voting on pending 2024 financial spending bills.
The current rules are unclear, but the rules keepers in the US House of Representatives are said to not give Mr. McHenry the full authority of the Chairman because he only has the limited role of interim Chairman.
Who is running for Speaker of the House?
Congressman Jim Jordan was the first Republican to announce his candidacy for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives on the evening of October 4.
Another person, Congressman Steve Scalise, also announced his candidacy on October 4.
There are also a number of other characters who could also be candidates running for Speaker of the House of Representatives in the coming days such as Patrick McHenry, Kevin Hern, Tom Emmer…
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Congressman Jim Jordan is the first Republican to announce his candidacy for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives (Photo: Bloomberg).
Can Mr. Trump become Speaker of the House of Representatives?
The US Constitution does not require the Speaker of the House of Representatives to be a member of Congress, so Mr. Trump theoretically has the opportunity to become leader of this body.
Mr. Trump may not be eligible because he is facing four criminal indictments, while Republicans in the House of Representatives stipulate that a member of the leadership must resign if indicted.
In addition, Mr. Trump has a quite busy schedule due to both dealing with legal problems and running for president.
How long will the process of electing a new Speaker of the House of Representatives take?
Mr. McHenry announced his intention to hold a vote to elect a new Speaker of the House of Representatives on October 11.
The day before, the Republican Party in the House of Representatives will hold a closed meeting to give candidates the opportunity to present and demonstrate.
However, this process is said to be very difficult because of the differences in the goals of moderates and hard-liners who overthrew Mr. McCarthy.
As for the Democratic Party, the party is expected to remain united and vote for Hakeem Jeffries, minority leader in the House of Representatives.
Because each party currently has 1 empty seat in the House of Representatives (due to 2 Representatives resigning), the new House Speaker will need to win 217 votes or more.