WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement in response to the Republican failure to elect a Speaker of the House after two weeks of intra-Conference dysfunction:
“For more than two weeks, House Republicans have held the Congress of the United States hostage while they were distracted with their own chaos and incompetence.
“Now, for yet a 16th time, Republicans have had to bring us to the floor for another Speaker vote. Let’s be clear that the name above the door may be different, but the dynamics any Republican speaker would face is the same: a slim majority, an empowered MAGA wing, and a divided government. Jim Jordan did not even get as many votes as Kevin McCarthy’s lowest vote total — and that was with all bullying tactics in full force.
“It is time for a handful of Republicans who try to portray themselves as reasonable to step up and stop putting politics over people. They must come to the table to work with Democrats on a shared governance model going forward so that we can get back to work for the important business of the country.
“When we had the identical margin of a majority, Democrats passed historic legislation to take climate action, lower prescription drug costs, invest in the working- and middle-class, and rebuild American infrastructure. The past two weeks have clarified just how incapable Republicans are of governing and how much they will continue to need House Democrats to get anything done. The good news: while Republicans may be caught up in petty infighting, progressives and our colleagues across the Democratic Caucus will remain focused on the American people and the issues facing them.
“Republicans simply have not been able to govern and the stakes are high. We have just a month left until the next government funding deadline. Come to the table, work with us, and let’s get real work done.”
