Republicans eye expanding McHenry’s powers amid leadership fallout
by Rebecca Beitsch - 10/12/23 7:50 PM ET
House Republicans are exploring whether to expand the powers held by Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) as the conference looks nowhere near ready to make a final decision on a new Speaker.
Frustrated by the stalemate that is preventing the House from doing any business, GOP lawmakers are taken a new look at what McHenry can do in his new position, with moderate Republicans seeking to expand the position’s power.
Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) in a letter signed by members of the moderate Republican Governance Group — she wouldn’t say how many — backed the prospect of drafting a resolution to give McHenry the option to “reopen business.”
“It’s time for us to keep on working. So if we need more time as a group to pick the leader, then in the meantime, we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Right? So let’s keep on moving business while we find the permanent person for the position,” she told reporters huddled outside of the Speaker’s office, where she dropped off the letter.
Other Republicans, however, say they’d oppose any move that would further entrench McHenry in the role or expand his authorities, saying this could take the pressure off members from picking a new Speaker.
“We don’t need to take any pressure off of our conference to come to a final conclusion on a permanent speaker, no pressure taken off of our conference to be any less motivated as a result of giving powers to a temporary speaker pro temp,” Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) told The Hill.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4253463-republicans-eye-expanding-mchenrys-powers-amid-leadership-deadlock/
