CONGRESSMAN MATT CARTWRIGHT STATEMENT ON HOUSE SPEAKER VOTE

Statement

"Right now, we have no clear idea who will be the next U.S. House Speaker, leaving an unprecedented power vacuum in Congress. This severely limits America's ability to respond to the crisis in Israel, to support Ukraine as it continues to resist Russia's invasion, or to address any number of other problems right here at home, including a looming federal government shutdown November 17.

What Democrats are looking for is a bipartisan path forward. We need a speaker who leans toward the center instead of bowing to right-wing extremists. The extremists always want government shutdowns. Shutdowns do not save money. They cost taxpayers more. The only way we're going to keep the lights on will be to choose a Speaker who knows how to stand up to the shutdown crowd.

The American people deserve leadership from Congress that is willing to reach across the aisle and not continue the path of indefinite stalemates that block House legislation from moving forward.

House Republicans need to get their act together. The two declared candidates, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, have yet to demonstrate their capacity to deal with the hardliners who ousted Kevin McCarthy last week.

Barring the emergence of a bipartisan path forward with a Republican consensus builder, I'll continue backing House Democratic Leader Jeffries."

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