Mike Kelly's plan for speaker compromise gets embraced then nixed by speaker nominee Jim Jordan
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The U.S. House of Representatives is still without a speaker, as the Republican majority cannot agree among its members as to who should lead the House.
As KDKA-TV political editor Jon Delano reports, that's despite the effort of a local congressman to find a temporary way forward.
As the U.S. House enters its third week without a speaker because the majority of Republicans cannot agree on a leader, Democrats say the impact is clear.
"This Republican chaos is really hurting the Congress and, frankly, our ability to govern," says U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, the Aspinwall Democrat representing the 17th Congressional District.
But one Republican congressman, U.S. Rep Mike Kelly of Butler, spent most of the day in meetings with fellow Republicans pushing his plan to temporarily allow Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry to bring bills to the House floor – like aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, along with the government spending bills needed to avoid a shutdown on Nov. 17.
Kelly was not available for an interview on Thursday, but Deluzio thinks the plan has merit.
"I'm open to discussing it. I think some ideas and proposals like the one my neighbor, Representative Kelly, proposed may be how we get out of it," says Deluzio.
"The devil, of course, will be in the details," adds the Democrat.
For a few hours, it looked like Kelly's plan might get an up or down vote when U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, the man some but not all Republicans want as speaker, embraced the idea.
However, strong opposition from conservative Republicans convinced Jordan to withdraw his support a few hours later.
"The Republican infighting is horrible. It's hurting the country, it's out for all to see. I don't know if Mr. Jordan will continue down this path," says Deluzio.
Bottom line, says Deluzio, Democrats like him are open to compromise but at least some Republicans must reach out.
"The Republican majority on its own cannot get through this. They have to work with us. From (Democratic) Leader Hakeem Jeffries to members like me, we've been making the case, privately and publicly to our Republican counterparts, work with us in good faith. Let's find a path through this and we will govern together."
