[News Figures] As the Vacancy in US House Speaker Prolongs, 'Acting' Patrick McHenry Gains Attention

Concerns Grow Over Prolonged Crisis Amid Republican Split
Worries About Handling Issues..."Give Acting Authority," Opinions Say
Academics Interpret "Possible with Majority Lawmaker Consent"

As divisions within the Republican Party, the majority party in the United States, have prolonged the vacancy in the Speaker of the House position following Kevin McCarthy's removal, Representative Patrick McHenry (Republican·North Carolina), who is serving as the interim acting speaker, is gaining attention.

With the U.S. House of Representatives effectively paralyzed amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, voices are growing louder to grant the acting speaker the authority to take necessary measures.

Acting Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Patrick McHenry (Republican·North Carolina)
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

U.S. House Fails Again to Elect Speaker Amid Republican Divisions... Signs of Prolonged Deadlock

According to the New York Times (NYT) and Politico on the 18th (local time), a second vote was held in the House plenary session to elect the Speaker, but Jim Jordan, the Republican candidate and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, failed to secure a majority once again, following the previous day.

Although there was speculation that Jordan might be elected speaker earlier than expected by persuading Republican members, the number of rebel votes within the Republican Party actually increased that day. The number of Republicans voting against Jordan rose from 20 in the first vote to 22 in the second. Democratic House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries received 212 votes in both rounds, securing more votes than Jordan.

With this situation, there are signs that the unprecedented leadership vacuum in the House will lead to a prolonged deadlock. Immediate approvals for package aid to Ukraine, which has been at war for two years following Russia's invasion and Israel's counterattack after a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, as well as negotiations on the 2024 fiscal year budget, are inevitably delayed.

Many Urgent Issues to Address... Calls Grow to Grant Authority to Acting Speaker

Discussions have begun regarding granting necessary authority to the current acting speaker, Representative McHenry, to resolve pressing issues. According to the U.S. media outlet Times, not only Republicans but also Democrats view McHenry’s role as acting speaker more positively compared to the conservative hardliner Jordan being elected.

Republican candidate Jim Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, in conversation with Patrick McHenry, Acting Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Reports indicate that as the speaker vacancy lengthens, the leadership of both parties has been quietly discussing expanding McHenry’s authority over House operations. Jordan, the Republican candidate, also expressed support for a vote to grant McHenry authority earlier that day.

Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (Republican·Florida) said, "We need to be able to move things forward," adding, "There is consensus on securing a process to advance legislation."

Currently, the acting speaker is interpreted to have only the authority to oversee the election process for the new speaker and conduct floor debates. However, since the removal of a U.S. House speaker is unprecedented in the 234-year history of Congress, scholars believe the acting speaker’s authority could be expanded within limits acceptable to most members.

Professor Matthew Green of Catholic University said, "The Constitution says very little about the acting speaker, and the Supreme Court gives Congress considerable discretion on how to manage its internal operations." Georgetown University Professor Josh Shafetz stated, "Members could pass a motion to elevate him (McHenry) to temporary speaker, which would allow dropping the 'acting' title," adding, "Everyone would agree to the House operating under an 'interim speaker (speaker pro tempore)' rather than an acting speaker."

There are also suggestions to set a specific period during which McHenry can exercise the speaker’s authority.

Representative David Joyce (Republican·Ohio) proposed granting him authority to serve as speaker until January 3 of next year. Earlier, Representative Mike Kelly (Republican·Pennsylvania) submitted a proposal on the 16th to set the expiration of McHenry’s authority at the expiration of the temporary budget on the 17th of next month. Some Republicans suggested having him serve as interim speaker until the end of the year. Others proposed no fixed term but stepping down immediately once a new speaker is elected.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to The Washington Post (WP), for such a proposal to pass, near-unanimous agreement among Republican House members and negotiations with Democrats would be necessary.

Mid-40s Moderate Policy Expert... Key Role in Bipartisan Mediation

Some Republican members hope McHenry will become the next speaker, but foreign media report that he does not desire the position.

A policy expert and member of the House Financial Services Committee, McHenry is regarded as one of the key figures who persuaded hardliners within the Republican Party during McCarthy’s rise to the speakership and played an important mediating role between Republicans and Democrats during the passage of temporary budget bills.

He voted for former President Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential elections but voted to certify President Joe Biden’s election in January 2021. This contrasts with the removed former Speaker McCarthy, current Republican candidate Jordan, and previous Republican candidate Steve Scalise, all of whom voted against certifying Biden’s election.

Born in 1975, McHenry began his political career in 2004 at the age of 29, becoming the youngest member of the House at that time. Now 47 years old, he is known for frequently wearing a bow tie. He is a father of three, and his wife, Julia McHenry, is the Chief Economist at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.