May 6, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging House Republicans to reject the motion to vacate House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.):
“It is anticipated that a Motion to Vacate the Chair will be brought up in the House of Representatives this week. A vote for the motion is a vote for chaos, which would embolden President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and be extremely damaging to the limited government agenda.
“It is virtually impossible to satisfy all sides in the Republican Conference on a vast majority of issues. The national defense contingent has seemingly always traded more domestic spending and increasing mandatory spending liabilities for more Pentagon spending.
“Those concerned about exploding debt refuse to vote for spending legislation which turns a blind eye toward massive government spending increases, even when necessary limitations on Biden’s unconstitutional expansion of government are included. This leaves two choices – a government shutdown of the 30 percent of the government funded by appropriations bills or a higher spending bill dictated by the Democrats.
“Given that there are not the votes to shutdown the government in the House, House leadership is forced to deal with the Democrat-controlled Senate and Biden administration with a very weak hand.
“The Motion to Vacate the Chair which removed Kevin McCarthy from the office and the ensuing two week gut wrenching leadership decision created a very weak Speaker’s office for the rest of this Congress. The current one-vote GOP majority in the House exacerbates that weakness, as any two GOP members can take down the Speaker unless Democrats come to his aid.
“Let’s be clear. Between now and January of 2025, there are not the votes to pass significant limited government legislation into law. This leaves control of the committees as the only way that an agenda designed to pull America back from the precipice the Biden administration has put our nation on can be moved forward.
“Preparing for a robust 2025 needs to become the top priority for the GOP House of Representatives. The likelihood that a bi-partisan majority either protects Speaker Johnson or elects a new Speaker is strong, and it would be foolish to proceed with a Motion to Vacate vote in this political landscape.
“I greatly sympathize with and share the frustration of those who have stated their support for the Motion to Vacate. But unfortunately, the reality on May 6, 2024 is that no Speaker could deliver border fixes in a world where the President politically benefits from continued chaos.
“Our nation is in a time of peril, and it seems as if there is nothing that can be done. Nothing can be further from the truth. What is needed is a recognition of what season we are in. We are in the season of sowing, not reaping. If we are to reap a great harvest in early 2025, GOP Congressional leadership need to be empowering the committees to prepare the ground, plant the seeds and provide ample water and fertilizer to facilitate strong growth. Putting up a Motion to Vacate the Chair vote would be disastrous for this process to succeed.
“Americans for Limited Government urges House Republicans to reject the Motion to Vacate the Chair. It is the wrong action at the wrong time.”
For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org .
###