Ryan responded to the nomination by calling it a “great honour” and saying: “This begins a new day in the House of Representatives”. He accepted hugs from Republicans and Democrats alike. “Pray for a deeper understanding”.
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Remarkably, Ryan met these truculent revolutionaries halfway, even though he was already the choice of most House Republicans.
The outgoing speaker thanked his colleagues on the aisle, as well as Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer for the work they did together.
“Let’s be frank. The House is broken. We’re adding to them”.
The GOP Nominated Paul Ryan to replace Speaker John Boehner despite Ryan’s insistence he did not want the position. A tearful Boehner exited the chamber to tears and applause as Ryan stepped to the podium. With his replacement secured, the soon to be 66-year-old Boehner will return home to Ohio, where he said he will play a lot more golf.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said the bill was paid for with a series of budget gimmicks that would come back to haunt lawmakers. Before handing over the gavel to his friend from Wisconsin, however, Boehner said farewell to his colleagues – with a box of Kleenex in tow. Instead of trying to stop the majority, they might try to become the majority. With the GOP controlling 247 of the House’s 435 votes, Ryan’s election was assured, despite grumbling from conservatives demanding more say in how the House operates. But he appeared ready to get to work shortly after his election, sending out this tweet from his newly updated Twitter account, which now reads @SpeakerRyan.
The final step for Ryan: swearing-in as speaker.
Paul Ryan worked hard to climb the greasy pole of power in Washington, a humble Congressional aide moonlighting as a waiter who today became the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The roll call vote is continuing. Last week, he won support from all three wings of the House’s factionalized Republicans. That will give him a chance to start over. Saluting him was Ryan.
Boehner wiped his face with a tissue, then hugged House staffers. “We are going to respect the people by representing the people”.
“That would’ve been a real nightmare”, a relaxed and jacketless Boehner remarked before his speech, smoking a Camel.
His wife, Janna, is smiling and waving at people in the gallery.
There still needs to be a formal vote on the House floor on Thursday. Conservatives have demanded changes in how the chamber operates, including a greater voice for rank-and-file lawmakers in shaping legislation and deciding who will chair committees, and Ryan has expressed openness to such ideas.
Boehner, R-Ohio, is resigning from Congress. In 2012, Mitt Romney picked Ryan to be his running mate on the GOP ticket.
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The bipartisan budget deal, announced on Tuesday and criticized by right-wing Republicans for increasing spending, was Boehner’s attempt to clear the decks for the new speaker and relieve market worries over a possible default next week.
