As Republicans struggle to elect a new House speaker, a potential deal has surfaced that could allow Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to take on the role.
After three days and 11 failed votes, McCarthy has presented a package of changes to the Freedom Caucus and other far-right holdouts, which would diminish the power of the speaker’s office and grant more influence to rank-and-file lawmakers in legislation.
If the deal goes through, McCarthy will emerge as a weakened speaker, having ceded some powers and constantly facing the threat of being voted out by detractors.
However, he would also be seen as a survivor of one of the most contentious speaker battles in U.S. history.
The deal includes the reinstatement of a rule allowing a single representative to motion for the “vacation of the chair,” a move that could lead to the speaker’s removal.
This rule had previously driven Republican Speaker John Boehner to retire early.
The Freedom Caucus chairman, Scott Perry (R-PA), tweeted that he was cautiously open to the proposed deal, saying, “Trust but verify.”
The agreement also includes provisions to expand the House Rules Committee, require a 72-hour review period for bills before votes, and seek a constitutional amendment on term limits for Congress members.
However, conservative holdout Ralph Norman (R-SC) cautioned, “This is round one.”
The House has not been able to fully function due to the ongoing speaker fight, with committees limited to “core Constitutional responsibilities” and payroll potentially disrupted if the House is not functioning by Jan 13.
The most recent round of voting saw McCarthy lose in the seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh rounds, surpassing the number of failed votes in the last extended speaker battle 100 years ago.
