GOP House's proposed rules for next session ends one member forcing vote to oust speaker

The House rules package under consideration in the new session of Congress that begins on Friday raises the threshold for a vote on a “motion to vacate” the House speaker’s chair to nine members.

Under the rules package, the member introducing the motion must have the support of eight other House members from the majority party as co-sponsors in order to trigger a floor vote.

Previously, the threshold to trigger a vote on the motion was one member from the majority party.

In October 2023, then Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida, introduced a motion to vacate former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., which received enough support for his removal.

Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., was later elected speaker by the House GOP conference.