http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/258312-report-gowdy-to-nominate-ryan-for-speakerOctober 27, 2015, 07:41 pm
Gowdy to nominate Ryan for Speaker: report
By Mark Hensch
Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) plans on nominating Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as the next Speaker of the House, a new report says.
Gowdy will speak on behalf of Ryan to the House GOP conference Wednesday, according to CNN.
Reps. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) are also delivering speeches backing Ryan.
Ryan will be the heavy favorite when the House GOP votes Wednesday on a nominee for Speaker. Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) remains Ryan's on competition.
Wednesday’s winner will face a vote of approval from the full House chamber Thursday.
The victor will replace Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) following his departure from Congress at week’s end.
Boehner is hoping he can resolve a Congressional standoff over the national budget before vacating his position Friday.
The House is poised to approve a two-year deal Wednesday that raises spending caps and the debt limit.
The legislation increases discretionary spending by $112 billion over fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
It also averts a federal default next week and a potential government shutdown later this year.
Ryan, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, distanced himself from the package Tuesday, saying the process behind it “stinks.”
The next Speaker assumes control of a House GOP conference that has often split into warring camps over ideological issues, including whether to raise the spending caps established by the 2011 Budget Control Act (BCA).
Gowdy, the chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi, drew attention last week for presiding over an hours-long hearing where former secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave testimony about the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya.
