"We've been struggling with it for too long."

Nearly two weeks after the historic vote to remove Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, pressure is mounting on Republican lawmakers to resolve their internal struggle to find a new occupant for the "hot seat," thereby freeing Congress from its paralysis.

The White House has a host of bills lined up awaiting congressional approval, ranging from an emergency national security aid package that could fund U.S. allies, including Ukraine and Israel, to border security issues.

The Senate reconvened on October 15th after a week-long recess, but if the House of Representatives still lacks a permanent leader, no bill can be passed by Congress and reach President Joe Biden's desk.

Some Republicans believe that strong support from grassroots conservatives will help Representative Jim Jordan, the new nominee for Speaker of the House, win the support of dozens of Republican colleagues and secure a victory in the vote before the entire House, which includes Democratic members.

The first bipartisan vote of the week will take place on Tuesday (October 17), according to an announcement sent by the office of House Majority Leader Tom Emmer.

Representative Jim Jordan – the leading Republican candidate for Speaker of the House – speaks to reporters at Longworth House, Washington, D.C., on October 13, 2023. Photo: Getty Images

Mr. Jordan, who currently serves as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and his allies pushed for a bipartisan vote on Tuesday to give the leading Republican candidate time to meet with supporters on Monday (October 16).

A separate announcement sent by Democratic House Minority Deputy Katherine Clark on the afternoon of October 15 confirmed that the vote would take place at noon on Tuesday.

A difficult mathematical equation.

Congressman Jordan, founder of the far-right House Liberal Group and a loyal ally of former President Donald Trump, won the caucuses on October 13 to become the official Republican nominee.

The congressman endorsed by Trump has garnered the support of about two-thirds of his fellow party members, meaning he needs about 65 votes to achieve the majority he requires to become Speaker of the House.

Mr. Jordan has until the end of the weekend, or until October 16th, to convince his colleagues who have not yet voted for him.

The U.S. House of Representatives is currently closely divided between 221 Republicans and 212 Democrats, and Jordan needs to win at least 217 votes to secure the presidency. This means he cannot afford to lose more than four Republican votes if all Democrats vote against him.

"We will get 217 votes," Jordan told reporters on October 13. But opponents of his becoming Speaker of the House insisted that he could not achieve that without their support.

Kevin McCarthy leaves a Republican convention at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on October 13, 2023. McCarthy, who was removed from his position as Speaker of the House in an unprecedented vote on October 3, 2023, declared his support for Jim Jordan. Photo: CNN

"It's a very difficult mathematical equation for him to solve," said Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, who plans to vote against Jordan in the bipartisan vote.

Meanwhile, Congressman Dan Crenshaw, a supporter of Jordan, told CNN: "Nothing is impossible, but it will be really difficult, based on what I've heard."

Lawmakers pointed out that the support Jordan received from grassroots Republican party members and conservative media outlets was likely to put pressure on his opponents to switch their allegiance to him.

"There's no one at the grassroots level stronger than Jim Jordan. No one," said Congressman Tim Burchett.

Jordan, as head of the House Judiciary Committee, has pushed for an investigation into what Republicans consider abuses of power by the Biden administration and family scandals. Biden has long denied all allegations.

Temporary solution

If Jordan fails to secure a majority of the 433 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, other Republican candidates may enter the race. Potential contenders include Kevin Hern, Chairman of the Republican Research Committee; Tom Emmer, House Majority Leader; and Mike Johnson, Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference.

“We need to do it right this time. We’ve been struggling with it for too long,” said Representative Roger Williams. “We need a leader for the House.”

Meanwhile, Representative Mike Turner, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he believed Jordan or another Republican could become Speaker of the House. But if any Republican minority continues to obstruct the House from functioning again, he said, “then I think it’s clear that some kind of deal will have to be made” with the Democrats.

For their part, the Democratic Party has also signaled that they may help the Republican nominee cross the narrow majority line to the Speakership of the House, in exchange for concessions such as rule changes to allow bills with significant bipartisan support to be brought to a vote before the full House.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill, October 12, 2023. Photo: NY Daily News

“There are informal conversations going on,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told NBC on October 15. “When we get back to Washington tomorrow (October 16), it’s important to start formalizing those discussions.”

When asked why those discussions hadn't taken place, Jeffries countered, arguing, "At this point, that's a matter for our Republican colleagues in the House."

"We have made it clear, both publicly and privately, that we are ready, willing, and able to participate in a bipartisan governing coalition that puts the American people first and addresses the problems of hard-working American taxpayers," said the leading Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In addition, there is another “stopgap solution.” Some Republican members have indicated they are considering a resolution to temporarily strengthen the powers of Speaker-elect Patrick McHenry so that the House can pass funding to prevent a government shutdown, and to provide financial support to Ukraine and Israel amid escalating conflicts in the Middle East. Currently, McHenry’s authority is limited to facilitating the election of a new Speaker-elect.

But Republicans may need the Democrats' help to pass such a resolution. While some Democrats have indicated they are open to the idea, many Republicans remain wary .

Minh Duc (Based on WSJ, CBS News, Washington Examiner)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/bau-chu-tich-ha-vien-my-chung-ta-da-loay-hoay-voi-no-qua-lau-roi-a631308.html