Urgent challenges ‘will not wait’ – WH spox urges Republicans to elect new House Speaker quickly

« During a press briefing in Washington DC on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged House Republicans to elect a new Speaker quickly to address the ‘urgent challenges’ facing the nation.
“I want to note at the top that we continue to see the election of a new speaker as an internal matter of the House of Representatives, just as previous leadership elections in Congress. But, as I said in a statement last night, the president hopes the House will quickly elect a speaker,” Jean-Pierre said.
“The President hopes the House will quickly elect a speaker because the urgent challenges facing our nation will not wait,” she added.
The US House of Representatives voted to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy during a session in Washington DC on Tuesday.
It marked the first time in history the incumbent speaker has been ousted in such a way and came just days after Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown.
The House now faces a leadership void that is expected to last for at least a week. Numerous Republicans have disclosed their intention to convene on October 10 to discuss potential successors, culminating in a vote for a new speaker scheduled for October 11.
The revolt against McCarthy was instigated by Representative Matt Gaetz, a prominent right-wing Republican from Florida. The move came amid McCarthy’s reliance on Democratic votes to advance legislation and prevent the partial government shutdown.
Later in the briefing, Jean-Pierre offered condolences on behalf of the Biden administration to the families of five people wounded following a shooting at the Morgan State University during a homecoming celebration in Baltimore.
“The president and the first lady are praying for those wounded in the shooting at Morgan State University last night and we know how traumatizing this continues to be for everyone on campus, for the parents and families of every student and the community,” Jean-Pierre said.
“We urge everyone on campus and in the community to hear the guidance of safety officials. Morgan State is in our hearts today and we will continue to do everything we can to provide the support needed as the community recovers from this horrific shooting, » she continued. »



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