A House rules package raises the threshold for a vote on a “motion to vacate” to nine members.
Under current rules, any member of the majority party in the House can force a force to oust the Speaker.
The proposal to require nine members of the majority party in Congress to support a motion to vacate is only one more than the eight who voted to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
“A resolution causing a vacancy in the Office of the Speaker shall not be privileged except if it is offered by a member of the majority party and has accumulated eight co-sponsors from the majority party at the time it is offered,” the rules package says.
Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) explained the proposal in November. “We had an opportunity to set the motion to vacate at a higher [number]. That motion to vacate will be set at nine in return for getting rid of some amendments that probably would have divided this conference,” he said.
“Because of this agreement, we are in a better position to move forward with the Republican agenda to make sure that Speaker Johnson, South Dakota Senate Leader John Thune and our President Donald Trump have an opportunity to go forward, “Johnson added.
Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) said the proposal allows Congress to follow through on President-elect Donald Trump’s plans. “We’ve been able to work across the conference to eliminate the controversial issues that could have divided us and move forward together to deliver on the President’s agenda. That’s it.”
