House Republicans are planning to amend House rules to increase the difficulty of removing a speaker of the House, following a recent incident where a GOP lawmaker successfully initiated the first-ever removal of a speaker.
In January 2023, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy was elected as speaker of the House after a prolonged process that required four days and 15 votes to reach a consensus. Despite eventually securing the position, internal conflicts persisted within the party.
Under current House rules, a single lawmaker has the authority to introduce a motion to vacate the speakership, triggering a floor vote. This rule was put to the test when former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz introduced a motion to remove McCarthy from the speaker position, leading to a successful vote for his removal.
As a response to this incident, House Republicans are now looking to modify the rule to make it more challenging to oust the speaker of the House in the future. The proposed changes aim to raise the threshold for initiating a vote of no confidence against the speaker, potentially preventing swift removals like the one experienced by McCarthy.
By implementing these modifications, House Republicans hope to establish a more stable leadership structure and reduce the likelihood of internal power struggles that could disrupt party unity and legislative progress.
