This House rule change could oust Paul Ryan — and keep his successor around forever
![Paul Ryan.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/W2FTuEyd5XsG5xJRAmZ9o4-415-80.jpg)
Congressional rulemaking is not exactly sexy stuff, but it turns out the fate of one rule proposal could determine whether Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) holds on to his speakership.
Under current rules, any individual representative can trigger a vote to retain or oust the speaker. This power isn't really abused, because it's not difficult to calculate the likely results of such a vote and, the exit of former Speaker John Boehner aside, usually it would be an exercise in futility. Still, some members of Congress think the rule should be changed.
In a new rule proposed by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the power to call that vote would shift to a majority of a party's representatives. This change was at least initially backed by Ryan in the run-up to his own selection as speaker last October. "No matter who is speaker, they cannot be successful with this weapon [of an individual lawmaker calling a vote] pointed at them all the time," said his office.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But the rule change is opposed by the House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers who wouldn't have enough members to trigger a speaker vote under the new rule but who do have enough members to oust Ryan if he won't abandon the rule change. So if the change passes, the HFC may throw Ryan out — but his successor would basically be assured retention of power until the House turns blue. If it fails, Ryan likely keeps his seat, but he'll have to live with the democratic uncertainty speakers have faced for more than two centuries.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
Is the new Palestinian unity a mirage? And how will it affect the war?
Today's Big Question 'Bitter foes' Hamas and Fatah look to the future
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Wall Street tumbles on poor tech results
Speed Read US markets had their worst day since 2022 as Tesla and AI stocks dropped
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Salt Lake City named host of 2034 Winter Olympics
Speed Read The Winter Games are returning to the US for the first time in 32 years
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Netanyahu makes controversial address
Speed Reads Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress denounced Gaza war protestors
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Speed Read Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published