Good morning! Here’s how Cascadia’s Members of Congress voted on major issues during the legislative week ending January 7th, 2023.
In the United States House of Representatives
ELECTION OF KEVIN MCCARTHY AS SPEAKER: Representative-elect Kevin McCarthy, R‑California, was elected House speaker on January 7th, 2023 (Eastern Time), with 216 members voting to support his candidacy, 212 supporting Representative Hakeem Jeffries, D‑New York, and six declaring “present.”
McCarthy’s election came on the fifteenth ballot in an intraparty power struggle stretching over four days. The rules of the chamber require a majority vote to elect the House speaker, who is second in line for the presidency.
After this vote, House members were sworn into office and the chamber began officially functioning as part of the 118th Congress.
McCarthy backer James Comer, R‑Kentucky, said: “For the past two years, one-party Democrat [sic] rule has resulted in multiple crises that are harming Americans without any oversight or accountability from this body…. In a Republican majority under Speaker Kevin McCarthy, this broken Congress will finally be fixed, we will return to regular order and we will drag those senators kicking and screaming along with us every step of the way.”
Jeffries backer Veronica Escobar, D‑Texas, said:
“I shudder to think what a Republican majority’s inability to govern would have meant on [January 6th, 2021] and what it could mean in the future for those of us who believe in defending our democracy abroad, and now, more than ever, here at home. On this painful anniversary, thankfully, the honorable Hakeem Jeffries made sure that we came together to mark the moment… and ensure that we recommit to our republic and our democracy.”
All Republicans voting supported McCarthy. All Democrats voting supported Jeffries. The six members who effectively did not vote by declaring “present” were GOP Rep.-elects Andy Biggs and Eli Crane of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Bob Good of Virginia and Matthew Rosendale of Montana.
Voting for McCarthy (2): Republican Representatives-elect Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher | |
Voting for Jeffries (4): Democratic Representatives-elect Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Val Hoyle, and Andrea Salinas Voting for McCarthy (2): Republican Representatives-elect Cliff Bentz and Lori Chavez-DeRemer | |
Voting for Jeffries (8): Democratic Representatives-elect Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland Voting for McCarthy (2): Republican Representatives-elect Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse |
Cascadia total: 12 votes for Jeffries, 6 for McCarthy
OTHER VOTES: A total of twenty roll call votes were taken this week. Most of those were votes for Speaker that ended in a deadlock, but there were also five motions to adjourn the House. No roll call votes on legislation have been taken yet in the 118th Congress, and there will be none until next week at the earliest.
Key votes ahead
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives is scheduled to reconvene and is expected to take up a rules package created by the Republican majority.
The Senate will be in recess, and does not plan to reconvene until January 23rd, at which point it will consider one of President Biden’s executive nominations.
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