A small group of moderate Democrats called for the expansion of the power of Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, as House Republicans take the weekend to see if their second speaker nominee in three days, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, can win over the dozens of lawmakers in his own party who are blocking his path to the speakership.
According to a letter obtained by CBS News, a group of four Democrats, who are also members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, wrote to McHenry suggesting that his authority be temporarily enhanced to bring certain legislation to the House floor until a speaker is elected.
Their proposal would permit measures in three areas: emergency foreign aid for Ukraine and Israel, an extension of the current continuing resolution to fund the government until Jan. 11 to avoid a government shutdown, and the initiation of committee work and assessment of individual spending bills.
The Democrats also included bills introduced under suspension of the rules; these measures are considered with limited floor debate, without amendments or points of order, and they must pass with a two-thirds majority vote. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy brought the continuing resolution to fund the government until mid-November to the floor under suspension of the rules. That bill, passed with the support of nearly every Democrat and over the “no” votes of 90 in the GOP conference, prevented a government shutdown but ultimately cost him his speakership.
The proposal put forth by Democrats Representatives Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Susie Lee of Nevada, Ed Case of Hawaii, and Jared Golden of Maine suggests that the authorities’ expansion should be renewed every 15 days. It is anticipated that this measure would necessitate a bipartisan vote, and the stance of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on the proposal remains unknown.
