Huelskamp Sworn in for 113th Congress

Press Release

The 113th Congress is being sworn in on Thursday, January 3, 2013. Congressman Tim Huelskamp, who represents the First District of Kansas, began his second term representing the First District of Kansas.

The first order of business for the new House was to elect the Speaker of the House. Huelskamp voted for former Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio for Speaker. However, John Boehner was reelected with 220 votes. Huelskamp was one of nine Republicans who did not support Boehner.

After the vote, Huelskamp said: "My vote today was a vote of 'no confidence' in the current leadership of the House of Representatives. They have had two years to demonstrate conservative leadership, and have failed - as evidenced by deal after deal that neglects our principles of fiscal responsibility, limited government, free enterprise, and traditional values. While I congratulate Speaker John Boehner on his reelection, I fear that -- unless the House begins to stand as a beacon of conservatism and offers Americans a true alternative to the ideology of Big Government -- these next two years may very well be our last in the majority."

In a telephone town hall with constituents the week after Huelskamp learned he had been removed by House leadership from the Budget and Agriculture Committees, 88 percent of telephone town hall participants said Huelskamp should not vote for John Boehner for Speaker of the House.

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