WASHINGTON: The U.S. House of Representatives elected Republican Mike Johnson, a conservative with little leadership experience, as speaker on Wednesday, ending a turbulent three weeks that left the rudderless chamber unable to carry out any of its basic duties.
The 220 to 209 party-line vote elevated Johnson to the powerful role that has been vacant since Kevin McCarthy was ousted on Oct. 3 by a small group of his fellow Republicans.
"We want our allies around the world to know that this body of lawmakers is reporting again to our duty stations," Johnson, 51, said shortly after winning the speaker's gavel.
His first act was to call up legislation to signal support for Israel, which has stepped up its bombings of Gaza following a cross-border killing and kidnapping spree by Hamas early this month.
Johnson is best known as the author of an unsuccessful appeal by 126 House Republicans to get the Supreme Court to overturn election results in states that Donald Trump had lost in the 2020 presidential election. First elected in 2016, he is the least experienced House speaker in decades.
The Louisiana lawmaker declined to answer a question about the Supreme Court effort shortly after his nomination on Tuesday night, while other Republicans booed and heckled the reporter who asked it.
In a letter to colleagues, Johnson has vowed to advance overdue spending legislation and ensure that the U.S. government does not shut down when current funding expires on Nov. 17.
In his speech, he said he would prioritize border security and establish a bipartisan commission to examine ways to tackle the $33 trillion national debt.
He will also have to respond to Democratic President Joe Biden's $106 billion spending request for aid to Israel, Ukraine and U.S. border security. While House Republicans broadly support funding for Israel and the U.S. border, they are divided over further support for Ukraine.
Biden urged Johnson to move quickly on the funding package. "Even though we have real disagreements about important issues, there should be mutual effort to find common ground wherever we can," he said in a statement.
RECORD DEFICIT
The three-week speaker battle has helped to push up the U.S. government's borrowing costs. The government posted a record $1.7 trillion deficit for the most recent fiscal year, in part due to higher interest payments.
Democrats blasted Johnson's conservative stances on social issues like abortion and gay marriage, as well as his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
"Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election. ... No amount of election denialism will ever change that reality. Not now, not ever," Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries said shortly before inviting Johnson to take up the speaker's gavel.
While House leaders typically focus on fundraising and vote counting, Johnson is better known as an advocate for conservative social positions.
He has supported legislation that bars gender-related surgery and hormone treatment for transgender teens, prohibits mask mandates on airplanes, and tightens immigration and abortion restrictions.
Johnson is far from the top ranks of House Republican fundraisers - typically a key duty for a party leader. His campaign raised about $1.3 million in the 2022 election cycle, a fraction of the $28 million raised by Kevin McCarthy's campaign and $14 million raised by Jim Jordan's.
Republicans narrowly control the House by a 221-212 margin, leaving them with little room for error on controversial votes. Their divisions were on display over the past few weeks, as they nominated three candidates for speaker -- Steve Scalise, Jordan and Tom Emmer -- who failed to win election.
As speaker, Johnson will have to confront the same challenges that felled McCarthy and stymied his would-be successors. They include the demands of the caucus' hardline members and the reality that with a Democratic majority in the Senate and Biden occupying the Oval Office, no laws can currently be passed in Washington without bipartisan support.
His inexperience may have helped him win the job by giving him less time to make enemies.
"Politics is like the fight business," Republican Tom Cole said. "The longer you are in it, the more you get beat up. And there's punches you can take early in your career that you can't take later."
Reuters
Thu Oct 26 2023
Newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) takes his oath of office after he was elected to be the new Speaker at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., October 25, 2023. - REUTERS
#AWANIRingkas 5 Oktober 2024 | 9 PM
Berikut merupakan rangkuman berita setakat 9 malam, 5 Oktober 2024
1️⃣ Siasatan membabitkan 10 peruntukan undang-undang
2️⃣ KDN sahkan seorang anggota polis terlibat
3️⃣ Projek sakit dijangka siap menjelang hujung 2024
#awaniringkas
1️⃣ Siasatan membabitkan 10 peruntukan undang-undang
2️⃣ KDN sahkan seorang anggota polis terlibat
3️⃣ Projek sakit dijangka siap menjelang hujung 2024
#awaniringkas
Serangan gajah: Perhilitan terus pantau Kampung Basung
Perhilitan Terengganu akan meneruskan pemantauan di Kampung Basung di Kuala Berang bagi mengesan gajah liar yang menyebabkan kematian warga emas hari ini.
Ekonomi penjagaan berpotensi hasil pendapatan baharu untuk negeri - Saarani
Kerajaan Perak melihat potensi ekonomi penjagaan sebagai satu daripada pendapatan baharu yang berdaya maju untuk negeri itu, kata Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
Polis tahan pegawai tentera kerana cabul kakitangan bawahan
Seorang pegawai tentera ditahan kerana disyaki mencabul kakitangan bawahannya sebanyak beberapa kali di sebuah premis kerajaan di Kok Lanas, Kota Bharu.
ATM lakukan siasatan penuh insiden di Wisma Transit
Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) melakukan siasatan penuh berkenaan insiden kekecohan yang berlaku di Wisma Transit, Kuala Lumpur membabitkan warga Palestin baru-baru ini.
JKNK akan dapatkan bantuan negeri lain jika berlaku banjir luar jangka
Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Kelantan (JKNK) akan mendapatkan bantuan khidmat petugas Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM) dari negeri lain sekiranya mengalami banjir luar jangka tahun ini.
PR1MA: Projek sakit dijangka siap menjelang hujung tahun ini
Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan (KPKT) memberi jaminan projek Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (PR1MA) yang dikategorikan sebagai ‘projek sakit’ atau bermasalah di seluruh negara akan disiapkan menjelang hujung tahun ini.
John Legend sifatkan Siti Nurhaliza, Yura Yunita penyanyi hebat, teruja ditemani di konsert
John Legend teruja dengan kehadiran Siti dan Yura, dan akan menyampaikan lagu-lagu hitnya seperti All of Me, Ordinary People, dan Tonight.
Ibu bapa perlu luang lebih masa, interaksi bersama anak
Isteri Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail menasihatkan ibu bapa agar meluangkan lebih masa dan berinteraksi bersama anak-anak bagi memupuk hubungan lebih harmoni.
AWANI Borneo [05/10/2024] - Kes tembak di Song | Tingkat fasiliti | Hala tuju SMJ
AWANI Borneo Sabtu, 5 Oktober 2024 bersama Jasmine Abu Bakar.
KDN sahkan seorang anggota polis terlibat kes tembakan di Song.
Rangkaian pusat kanser diperluas di Sarawak.
Sektor penting di Sabah tunjuk hasil positif, landasan tepat.
KDN sahkan seorang anggota polis terlibat kes tembakan di Song.
Rangkaian pusat kanser diperluas di Sarawak.
Sektor penting di Sabah tunjuk hasil positif, landasan tepat.
Trump tarik diri daripada temu bual pilihan raya di CBS "60 Minutes"
Calon presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) dari parti Republikan, Donald Trump membatalkan temu bual televisyen di saluran CBS, umum program "60 Minutes" di platform X pada Rabu.
Lelaki mengaku tidak bersalah atas dakwaan cubaan bunuh Trump
Ryan Routh membuat pengakuan semasa perbicaraan di hadapan hakim majistret Amerika Syarikat, Bruce Reinhart.
Ringgit ditutup pada 4.12, paras tertinggi dalam tempoh 39 bulan
Ringgit mengakhiri urus niaga Isnin dengan mengukuh, mencecah paras tertinggi dalam tempoh 39 bulan berbanding dolar Amerika Syarikat (AS).
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Trump dakwa terima ancaman besar dari Iran
Dakwa Trump lagi, anggota tentera AS sedang 'memerhati dan menunggu' perkembangan ancaman berkenaan.
Lelaki didakwa atas tuduhan cubaan bunuh Trump
Lelaki yang berdepan tuduhan merancang membunuh bekas presiden AS, Donald Trump didakwa pada Selasa.
Harris desak Trump debat bulan depan
Harris menegaskan rakyat AS dan para pengundi berhak melihat mereka bertemu sekali lagi sebelum pilihan raya.
Trump tolak cabaran Harris berdebat semula
Bekas Presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) Donald Trump menegaskan beliau tidak akan mengambil bahagian dalam debat televisyen kedua menjelang pilihan raya presiden November ini.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Cubaan bunuh: Trump ucap terima kasih kepada perkhidmatan rahsia pastikannya "selamat"
Trump mengucapkan terima kasih kepada semua pihak atas keprihatinan mereka terhadap cubaan bunuh yang menimpanya pada Ahad di Florida.