House Speaker Mike Johnson has rejected a plan to change the rule that allows GOP rebels to kick him out as speaker.
The change would have increased the number of lawmakers needed to force a vote on a motion to vacate the chair, which ejects the speaker. Currently, one lawmaker is enough to force the vote.
Mr. Johnson said that while the rule has “harmed this office and our House majority” he would not initiate proceedings to change it.
“While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have,” Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, said on X. “We will continue to govern under the existing rules.”
The plan to change the rule was pushed by House Republicans seeking to defuse the threat against Mr. Johnson as he sets up a vote Saturday on a foreign aid package that is unpopular with a faction of conservatives.
The motion to vacate the chair was brought up last year by Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida Republican, to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican, is now threatening the same move against Mr. Johnson.
The low threshold to force the ouster vote makes Mr. Johnson particularly vulnerable because of the Republicans’ paper-thin majority. It only takes a couple of Republican votes to remove the speaker if all the Democrats join them.
Next week the Republicans’ majority will drop to just one vote when Rep. Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin Republican, retires from Congress.
Some Democrats said they supported changing the rule, but argued an attempt to attach it to the foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan would not be the right move.
Mr. Johnson’s decision follows a tense floor discussion with conservatives, including Mr. Gaetz, who said the rule change would only fan the rebellion in the GOP ranks.
Mr. Gaetz and Rep. Lauren Boebert, Colorado Republican, told the speaker that changing the rule would cross a red line and cost him the gavel.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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