Rep. Thomas Massie, a critic of Speaker Johnson, is removed from the House Rules Committee, replaced by Rep. Morgan Griffith.
Washington: So, here’s the scoop. Rep. Thomas Massie, known for being pretty vocal against House Speaker Mike Johnson, has been taken off the House Rules Committee. This committee is super important for how Congress gets things done.
Massie, who’s from Kentucky, was the only Republican to vote against Johnson when he became Speaker back in January. He even mentioned last December that he was thinking about stepping down from the committee, and it seems Johnson was considering it too.
In the last Congress, Massie was one of three Republicans who often caused some headaches for the leadership. They were put on the committee as part of a deal when Kevin McCarthy was fighting to become Speaker.
The Rules Committee is where they set the stage for how each bill gets debated and what amendments can be made. If a bill doesn’t go through this committee, it usually needs a two-thirds majority to pass, which can be tricky.
Massie and his fellow committee members often blocked legislation they thought wasn’t conservative enough, which made it tough for the leadership to get things done without needing Democratic support.
Now, Massie is being replaced by Rep. Morgan Griffith from Virginia, who’s seen as a bit more cooperative. Johnson also announced that Rep. Virginia Foxx will take over as chair of the Rules Committee.
Foxx has been around for a while and is respected in the House. Johnson praised her leadership skills, saying she’s a great example for other members.
Along with Foxx, the committee will also include other GOP members who are ready to tackle the legislative challenges ahead.
That’s the latest on this front! Let’s see how this change shakes things up in Congress.
