Jan 27, 2023

Graves defends US House GOP in prolonged process to elect Speaker McCarthy

Posted Jan 27, 2023 4:30 PM
Congressman Sam Graves/file photo
Congressman Sam Graves/file photo

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves defends the U.S. House Republican Caucus in the aftermath of a prolonged and, at times, contentious election for House Speaker.

It took 15 votes before Republicans joined together and elected California Congressman Kevin McCarthy Speaker.

Graves says it took so long to elect McCarthy Speaker for a reason.

“Because we had some changes that needed to be made in the rules package and to be quite honest with you, it really didn’t take that long,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  â€śAgain, it took an extra day from what we planned for.”

Graves says some of the rules adopted to appease hardline conservative Republicans will prove good for the chamber, such as allowing a single lawmaker to call for the Speaker’s removal.

“That’s an accountability issue,” Graves says. “It also reinstates something like the Holman Rule, which allows us to vote on amendments to appropriations bills individually. So that allows us to be able to cut specific programs or pet projects out of appropriations bills. That is something that was first put in in 1876 until Speaker Tip O’Neill took it out. That reinstates that. That’s a good thing.”

Another rule change has become especially relevant of late. It requires the Speaker to press for budget cuts in any discussion about raising the debt ceiling. The nation has hit its debt ceiling, but the Treasury Department says it can keep paying the bills until around June 5th, when the department says it will no longer be able to use extraordinary measures to avoid default. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has stated he will not negotiate with House Republicans on the issue.

Conservative Republicans also wrangled other concessions before pledging to vote for McCarthy.

Did McCarthy give up too much to get the Speakership?

“I don’t think so,” Graves says. “I’m a big supporter of Kevin. I think Kevin is going to do a fantastic job as Speaker. I don’t think that he gave up too much.  I think what we did is we just made the rules even stronger and better. It will be interesting to see if the majority were to change again any time in the future if the rules are kept.”

Other rules adopted during the procedure separate budget bills and tie any vote to raise the debt ceiling to budget cuts.