Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell advised House Republicans to take away the rule that allows one member of Congress to call a vote to remove the speaker of the House.
GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz’s motion to vacate the chair resulted in Kevin McCarthy losing his speakership Tuesday, marking the first time a speaker lost the gavel in this fashion.
Gaetz, along with seven other Republicans, joined all the House Democrats to remove McCarthy as speaker on Tuesday. The final vote was 216-210.
“I think [McCarthy] has much to be proud of,” McConnell told reporters Wednesday, a day after the vote. “We avoided a government shutdown. We did the inevitable with regard to the debt ceiling, and I’m one person who’s extremely grateful for his service.”
“I have no advice to give to House Republicans except one, I hope whoever the next speaker is gets rid of the motion to vacate,” the minority leader continued.
“I think it makes the speaker’s job impossible. And the American people expect us to have a functioning government,” McConnell said.
Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) calls for the House to get rid of the motion-to-vacate rule for the position of House speaker, saying