Paul Ryan

Pearce explains vote for Ryan for Speaker

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While he initially supported Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, Steve Pearce ultimately voted for Paul Ryan for Speaker of the House on Thursday. Ryan won the position, replacing John Boehner, who announced last month that he would be leaving Congress and relinquish the position as Speaker of the House. Pearce explained his vote in a statement on Thursday afternoon. “As I’ve said often, every American deserves a government that is effective, efficient and accountable,” Pearce said. “Today’s election marks a transition.

John Boehner

NM delegation reacts to Boehner resignation

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Speaker of the House John Boehner announced on Friday that he would resign from Congress on October 30. The Republican from Ohio has had a tough time as Speaker, attempting to control an increasingly fractious Republican majority even as that majority seemingly became more permanently ingrained thanks to redistricting. Boehner had planned to only serve as Speaker through the end of last year, but in his statement announcing his resignation said, “I stayed on to provide continuity to the Republican Conference and the House.” Eric Cantor, the likely heir apparent to Boehner, was ousted in a shock primary election loss in 2014. “It is my view, however, that prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution,” he wrote.

Congress & Federal Issues

Pearce kicked off GOP whip team

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Rep. Steve Pearce was kicked off the whip team of the Republican caucus following votes on rules for a trade proposal last week. Pearce, the lone Republican member of New Mexico’s delegation, voted against rules that House leadership pushed and he so he was punished by House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. The National Journal reported on Pearce’s removal form the team:
Reps. Cynthia Lummis, Steve Pearce and Trent Franks have been removed from the whip team after they sided with GOP rebels to vote against a rule governing debate on a trade bill, according to sources close to the team. Lummis, a deputy whip and a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, was perhaps the whip team’s highest-ranking bridge to the conference’s most intransigent members.