The U.S. House of Representatives elected Rep. Paul Ryan as the newest House speaker Thursday morning, hoping the young but grizzled lawmaker will heal the splintered party’s self-inflicted wounds and craft a conservative message to woo voters in next year’s elections.
The House elected the Wisconsin Republican to the post, with lawmakers voting aloud, one by one, in a tradition that bespeaks the dignity of a chamber that lately has been more rowdy than respectful.
With the GOP controlling 247 of the House’s 435 votes, Ryan’s election was assured, despite grumbling from conservatives demanding more say in how the chamber operates.
Ryan planned to ask both parties for a period of healing and to focus on working families, said an aide who described the remarks on condition of anonymity ahead of the lawmaker’s acceptance speech.
“If you have ideas, let’s hear them. A greater clarity between us can lead to a greater charity among us,” Ryan was planning to say, said the aide, in what seemed a bid for GOP reconciliation.
In visitor’s gallery were Ryan’s wife and three young children, other family members and 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney — who made Ryan his vice presidential running mate in an unsuccessful effort to defeat President Barack Obama.
Before the roll call, lawmakers heard farewell remarks from Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. After leading the House since 2011, the 25-year House veteran stunningly announced his resignation last month, hounded by hard-line conservatives who are mostly rallying behind Ryan — at least for now.
Ryan’s ascension was coming as Congress neared completion of a bipartisan accord to avert a jarring federal default next week and likely prevent a December government shutdown by setting spending levels for the next two years.
The House approved the bill Wednesday 266-167, with final Senate passage on track in a few days, despite opposition from conservatives including senators seeking the GOP presidential nomination.
House Republicans made Ryan their nominee for speaker in a secret ballot Wednesday that saw him defeat his only announced opponent, Rep. Dan Webster, R-Fla., by 200-43.
The budget vote underscored Ryan’s challenge in leading Republicans who often have scant interest in compromise, especially with a GOP presidential contest dominated by candidates who vilify Washington insiders. Republicans opposed the budget deal by 167-79, but Democrats supported it unanimously.
Conservatives complain that Boehner has been excessively powerful, forcing bills to the House floor without rank-and-filed input, dictating committee chairs and punishing rebels. One Freedom Caucus leader, Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, said conservatives expect Ryan to alter that.
“We’re going to have his back for the next few months and make sure that we give him the opportunity to show that he can be the leader that we hope he can be,” Labrador said.
Boehner’s resignation prompted a month of GOP turbulence after the Freedom Caucus derailed the candidacy of the heir-apparent, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Establishment Republicans pressured a reluctant Ryan to seek the speakership, viewing him as their best shot at patching the GOP’s ragged ruptures.
Amiable and just 45, Ryan has been in Congress 17 years and has strong ties with all wings of the GOP. Past chairman of the House Budget Committee and current head of the Ways and Means Committee, he has put his imprint on deficit reduction, tax, health and trade legislation — prime subjects that have raised his stature and put him at the center of many of Congress’ highest profile debates.
Many Democrats like Ryan but none is hesitating to attack him as a symbol of Republican policies they consider harsh. These include efforts to reshape Medicare into a voucher-like program, squeeze savings from Medicaid and pare taxes for the rich.
“This presents the clearest distinction of anyone they could have named: the Ryan budget,” Pelosi told reporters.
Ryan becomes the House’s 54th speaker, putting him second in line to succeed the president, and the youngest speaker since Rep. James Blaine, R-Maine, who was 39 when he took the job in 1869.
At Wednesday’s closed-door GOP meeting to nominate Ryan, one Republican asked him how he would differ from Boehner.
“I’m not going to cry,” he joked, according to Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., a reference to Boehner’s proclivity for tears at emotional moments.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
WONDERFUL………………….ABOUT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Will just have to wait and see, like we have a choice now?……Hopefully, he’ll be a lot better than Bonehead.
The election of Ryan as Speaker will be a disaster. He is not a Conservative.
He ia very weak on immigration and amnesty. Further, the two year budget
bill is a total sell out against “We the citizens” the ones who suffer because of
this recklessness. First the barn should be cleared of the Drunk Boehner’s mess.
What should happen is pull the spending bill and debt limit increase backup
and pass a 30 day CR and then stuff it up Obama’s Ass. Ryan is to chicken
to do that. It is the same old go along to get along. Why the hell should we
bother to Vote. The powers that be just do as they dam well please.
He’s absolutely the same as bonehead Boehner…gutless !!
The time for moderation is long past. It is time for the electorate to
take back our country from the Jackass Obama as and liberal
RHINOS.
Same old song and dance
We need to stop the W.T.O. and the URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENT that takes money from your retirement at the time you sign papers to retire called LUMP SUM, the P.B.G.C.a full federal agency (the overseer) of your total of all work places takes the money and sends your money off the top (LUMP SUM) to the W.T.O. , which is based on a total of how much you have built up over your entire work history. Or in other words, the more you build up in retirement funds the more they the P.B.G.C. takes for the W.T.O.!
In addition, The U.S. HOUSE and SENATE, the Governor of every state and their House, the Mayor and City Council, even the trash collector (IF payed directly by the city’s) are ALL EXEMPT! However any NON GOV’T worker at any level ARE NOT EXEMPT!
See the URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENT dated December 8, 1994 for your self.
I know people when they retired they lost from the low $300+ to 1 million which also includes stocks as part of the LUM SUMP also!
Next issue is to stop the 200 BILLION FOR THE GLOBAL WARMING FROM THE TAX PAYERS EVERY YEAR!
FINALLY, The Picific Trade Agreement, which already overseas are lining up to again take advantage of the United States in multiple ways to many here to mention. Thus will Ferthermore cost many more jobs those that are still hanging in there for now, but not for long. THIS IS ANOTHER BAD DEAL AND ANOTHER STUPID MOVE BY OUR SO CALLED LEADERS!
I think the the majority of Representatives in the House have lost their minds!
If they want to add a lot of money for some government projects – they should take if from the blood sucking departments like Education, Energy, Housing, EPA, the Executive Brance, etc.
Add in the the national debt is insanity. If you looked at the books of the Federal Reserve you would easily see that they are essentially broke. Take away their power to print money and the whole government is broke.
The Democrats in the Senate will try hard to pass the idiotic budget without any controls on increasing the federal budget. They haven’t tried to reduce government spending since President Obama took office. They just receive the President’s budget plan and pass it on without reading it. When the Democrats were the majority party in both houses – they did not even pass a budget! Maybe that is because they did not want the people to see where all the borrowed money was going.
Why don’t we have a joint session of Congress and have the Office of Budget and Management tell them how much money they have to spend without borrowing? The members of Congress would then allocate the money in a way to balance the outgo with the projected tax receipts. One of the budget items needs to be a sum for paying down the debt (at least 10% of the tax receipts).
I don’t believe that we voters have any good choices with either party in the upcoming elections.
Ryan has worked behind our back with democrats against us, and we was worried about the cry baby we are in real do do with Paul Ryan.
he kisses obamas ass just like bohner did.
From what I’ve read this budget deal is bad for America. It will grow the national debt and offers no real fiscal responsibility. It’s time to stop talking and start doing. If the current Republicans can’t get the job done it is time to replace them.
Gosh , I read all the comments . I just want to say , Lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet . I firmly believe Mr. Ryan has some tricks up his sleeve that will rein in and control the liberals in very subtle ways and will gently but firmly queer The weirdo plans of the closet muslim…….R.T.
My feeling is, only the Tea Party can save us now. Why do we have to send money to back any candidate for political office?. ” ” May the richest party win is the dumbest thing I ever heard of. The only one that does not ask for money is Donald Trump. We need that wall. I say, put all the illegals in the Fema Camps, furnish transportation to and from the Great Wall, and make them build it. Then send their sorry asses home, and keep them there. Amen?