Washington — Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia on Friday laid the groundwork for an eventual vote to strip House Speaker Mike Johnson of the gavel as lawmakers approved a $1.2 trillion spending package to avert a partial government shutdown.
Greene's opposition to the comprehensive package, which included six spending bills, led her to urge Johnson not to bring the legislation to the floor for a vote, labeling it a "Democrat-controlled bill" in the GOP-led House.
The Georgia Republican did not specify a timeline for calling a vote on the measure, referred to as a motion to vacate. Once recognized, the House would have two legislative days to address Greene's motion. However, with lawmakers set to depart Washington for a two-week recess after Friday's votes, any immediate action on her motion is likely to be postponed. There is also a possibility that the chamber could opt to table Greene's motion, effectively ending the process.
During an interview on a podcast hosted by far-right commentator Steve Bannon earlier on Friday, Greene hinted at a potential challenge to Johnson, encouraging him to "watch and see what happens."
Johnson was criticized by Greene for surrendering negotiating power to Democrats.
Greene stated, "Republicans held the power of the purse, our leverage to secure the border, and he failed to use it."
Despite only being in the position for five months, the speaker supported the agreement reached with Democrats and the White House, highlighting victories for the party.
The motion to vacate, which was previously used to remove Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, could be initiated by a single member under House GOP rules. Rep. Matt Gaetz triggered this process after McCarthy's reliance on Democrats to pass a funding bill and keep federal agencies operational.
House Republicans Vote to Oust Speaker McCarthy
In a historic move, Gaetz and seven other Republican lawmakers joined forces with Democrats to remove McCarthy in a no-confidence vote. This decision left the House without a speaker and the GOP conference without a leader for several weeks, causing turmoil as the party struggled to find a unifying successor.
After a chaotic three-week period, Johnson emerged as McCarthy's replacement, garnering unanimous support from the Republican side. His election brought an end to the standoff that had stalled legislative proceedings in the House and left the GOP conference divided.
Amidst speculation about a potential second attempt to remove the speaker, Johnson's collaboration with Democrats on recent spending bills has drawn both praise and criticism. This bipartisan approach mirrors that of his predecessor, leading to tensions within the GOP ranks.
The controversial spending package that triggered Greene's motion passed with a vote of 286 to 134, funding a significant portion of the government until September. Another bill covering the remaining government expenses has already been approved by Congress and signed into law by President Biden.
Included in the package was funding allocated for various departments such as Homeland Security, State, Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, as well as funds for foreign operations, financial services, and the legislative branch. The bill is now on its way to the Senate for a vote, and swift action is necessary to prevent a funding gap.
