Kevin McCarthy was ousted as the Speaker of US House of Commons, becoming the first in the country’s 234-year&nbsp;history to be removed from office.

This was orchestrated by his fellow hardliner eight Republican party members with the help of the Democrats.

The vote stood at 216-210, setting the stage for an unprecedented contest to replace McCarthy a year before the presidential election.

Shortly after being removed from the office, the California Republican told reporters that he would not run for the job again.

“I believe I can continue to fight, maybe in a different manner. I will not run for speaker again; I’ll have the conference pick somebody else," the 58-year-old leader told reporters.&nbsp;

"I ended up being the 55th speaker of the House— one of the greatest honours. I loved every minute," he said.

McCarthy added that he did not regret standing up for choosing to govern over grievance, adding it was his responsibility and his job.

Hitting out at the Republicans who were responsible for his ouster, McCarthy said, "My fear is the institution fell today because you can't do the job if eight people, you have 94 per cent of, or 96 per cent of your entire conference, but eight people can partner with the whole other side. How do you govern?"

<h2>What led to McCarthy’s ouster?</h2>

McCarthy’s run at the speakership lasted for only nine months. His historic removal was the result of a charge led by Florida Republican Matt Gaetz after he cut a deal with Democrats to fund the government for another 45 days — just before it would have otherwise shut down.

When Republicans took control of the House in January, McCarthy was struggling to get the backing of a majority of the House to become speaker.

It is believed that a group of Republicans led by Gaetz withheld their support to extract several concessions from him.

One of their most pressing complaints was the process by which Congress funds the government, which they claim allows for runaway government spending.

Several branches of government departments, like the Pentagon and Homeland Security, are funded through individual appropriations bills that set spending levels for the year ahead.

These bills typically must be passed by Congress and signed by the president by the start of the new fiscal year on October 1 to avoid a government shutdown.

In recent years, however, Congress has missed that deadline. To buy more time, lawmakers pass what's known in Washington as a "continuing resolution," which funds the government at current levels for a certain period of time, usually until the holidays.

Then they use this time to club all of the individual spending bills into one massive piece of legislation called an "omnibus" that funds the various departments until the following October, when the cycle repeats again.

Gaetz and his fellow colleagues wanted to put an end to that practice, and return to "regular order" — the consideration and passage of the individual, annual spending bills.

Through this, Gaetz and his colleagues wanted to extract deeper spending cuts than would otherwise be possible through an omnibus bill, which is often hastily approved with less popular provisions tied to must-pass items.

<h2>Patrick McHenry is now the acting speaker</h2>

Following the historic vote, Republican leader from North Carolina Patrick McHenry took charge as the interim speaker.

According to House rules, McHenry was chosen from a list Kevin McCarthy was required to keep of members who can serve in his position in the event the&nbsp;chair is vacated.

He will serve as the acting speaker — known as speaker pro tempore — until the chamber figures out who will be the next leader.

For McHenry, the interim job marks his most public position to date during his 10 terms in the House, reports AP news agency.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-not-run-for-us-house-speaker-again-mccarthy-after-he-was-forced-to-step-down-642307">Will not run for US House speaker again: McCarthy after he was forced to quit</a>

McHenry can serve in the temporary role indefinitely, however, he does not have the power to bring legislation to the floor or take it off.

He is only deemed to have “necessary and appropriate” power for the purpose of electing someone to the job, according to the rules governing the House.

McHenry also does not have the power to issue subpoenas or sign off on any other official House business that would require the approval of the speaker.

<h2>What will happen next?</h2>

The first order of business for McHenry would be to elect&nbsp;a new speaker.

Currently, it is not clear who will the Republicans nominate for the speakership. According to AP news agency, some members wanted to renominate McCarthy and vote for him for speaker until it passes, but with him declaring otherwise, the path is clear for any Republican to jump in.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-refuses-pakistans-request-to-make-fresh-investments-in-cpec-report-642126">China rejects Pakistan’s request to make fresh investments in CPEC: Report</a>

Some Republicans, including Gaetz, see potential candidates in Majority Leader Steve Scalise or Whip Tom Emmer, while other names that have come up for discussion include Rep. Kevin Hern, chair of the Republican Study Committee, and Rep. Jim Jordan, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a favourite of the right flank of the party.

Once Republicans decide who to nominate for speaker, the House would have to vote as many times as it takes for a candidate to receive the majority of those present and voting for speaker.

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Kevin McCarthy was ousted as the Speaker of US House of Commons, becoming the first in the country’s 234-year history to be removed from office. This was orchestrated by his fellow hardliner eight Republican party members with the help of the Democrats.

Kevin McCarthy was ousted as the Speaker of US House of Commons, becoming the first in the country’s 234-year history to be removed from office. This was orchestrated by his fellow hardliner eight Republican party members with the help of the Democrats. The vote stood at 216-210, setting the stage for an unprecedented contest to replace McCarthy a year before the presidential election. Shortly after being removed from the office, the California Republican told reporters that he would not run for the job again. “I believe I can continue to fight, maybe in a different manner. I will not run for speaker again; I’ll have the conference pick somebody else," the 58-year-old leader told reporters. "I ended up being the 55th speaker of the House— one of the greatest honours. I loved every minute," he said. McCarthy added that he did not regret standing up for choosing to govern over grievance, adding it was his responsibility and his job. Hitting out at the Republicans who were responsible for his ouster, McCarthy said, "My fear is the institution fell today because you can't do the job if eight people, you have 94 per cent of, or 96 per cent of your entire conference, but eight people can partner with the whole other side. How do you govern?" What led to McCarthy’s ouster? McCarthy’s run at the speakership lasted for only nine months. His historic removal was the result of a charge led by Florida Republican Matt Gaetz after he cut a deal with Democrats to fund the government for another 45 days — just before it would have otherwise shut down. When Republicans took control of the House in January, McCarthy was struggling to get the backing of a majority of the House to become speaker. It is believed that a group of Republicans led by Gaetz withheld their support to extract several concessions from him. One of their most pressing complaints was the process by which Congress funds the government, which they claim allows for runaway government spending. Several branches of government departments, like the Pentagon and Homeland Security, are funded through individual appropriations bills that set spending levels for the year ahead. These bills typically must be passed by Congress and signed by the president by the start of the new fiscal year on October 1 to avoid a government shutdown. In recent years, however, Congress has missed that deadline. To buy more time, lawmakers pass what's known in Washington as a "continuing resolution," which funds the government at current levels for a certain period of time, usually until the holidays. Then they use this time to club all of the individual spending bills into one massive piece of legislation called an "omnibus" that funds the various departments until the following October, when the cycle repeats again. Gaetz and his fellow colleagues wanted to put an end to that practice, and return to "regular order" — the consideration and passage of the individual, annual spending bills. Through this, Gaetz and his colleagues wanted to extract deeper spending cuts than would otherwise be possible through an omnibus bill, which is often hastily approved with less popular provisions tied to must-pass items. Patrick McHenry is now the acting speaker Following the historic vote, Republican leader from North Carolina Patrick McHenry took charge as the interim speaker. According to House rules, McHenry was chosen from a list Kevin McCarthy was required to keep of members who can serve in his position in the event the chair is vacated. He will serve as the acting speaker — known as speaker pro tempore — until the chamber figures out who will be the next leader. For McHenry, the interim job marks his most public position to date during his 10 terms in the House, reports AP news agency. Also read | Will not run for US House speaker again: McCarthy after he was forced to quit McHenry can serve in the temporary role indefinitely, however, he does not have the power to bring legislation to the floor or take it off. He is only deemed to have “necessary and appropriate” power for the purpose of electing someone to the job, according to the rules governing the House. McHenry also does not have the power to issue subpoenas or sign off on any other official House business that would require the approval of the speaker. What will happen next? The first order of business for McHenry would be to elect a new speaker. Currently, it is not clear who will the Republicans nominate for the speakership. According to AP news agency, some members wanted to renominate McCarthy and vote for him for speaker until it passes, but with him declaring otherwise, the path is clear for any Republican to jump in. Also read | China rejects Pakistan’s request to make fresh investments in CPEC: Report Some Republicans, including Gaetz, see potential candidates in Majority Leader Steve Scalise or Whip Tom Emmer, while other names that have come up for discussion include Rep. Kevin Hern, chair of the Republican Study Committee, and Rep. Jim Jordan, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a favourite of the right flank of the party. Once Republicans decide who to nominate for speaker, the House would have to vote as many times as it takes for a candidate to receive the majority of those present and voting for speaker. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained | What led to Kevin McCarthy’s exit as US House speaker, and what happens next?

The United States debt ceiling deal that was recently struck between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been the subject of much criticism. Amid this, some hard-line conservatives have now reportedly started floating the idea of toppling McCarthy from the speaker seat.

As per NBC News, on a recent Freedom Caucus call, Colorado representative Ken Buck pitched the idea of using the motion vacate — a rule that would any congress member to force a vote to remove the house speaker. This information was shared with NBC by two anonymous sources familiar with the matter.&nbsp;

<h2>Freedom Caucus</h2>

The Freedom Caucus, as per Pew Research, is an invitation-only group in the United States House of Representatives. Ideologically, the group's members are among the most conservative members of the House Republicans. Several of them fall at the extreme right end of the spectrum.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-is-nearing-its-debt-default-deadline-what-is-its-impact-on-indian-economy-597206">US is nearing its debt default deadline. What is its impact on Indian economy?</a>

Also known as the House Freedom Caucus, the congressional caucus was formed in January 2015 by a group of conservative and Tea Party movement members with the aim of pushing the Republican leadership to the right.

<h2>Right-wing and the debt deal</h2>

Many right-wing members have spoken against the deal, calling it "insanity," and a "turd sandwich."&nbsp;However, they've held back from threatening to oust McCarthy over the agreement.

<h2>The 'elephant in the room'</h2>

Reportedly, towards the end of the Freedom Caucus call, Representative Buck referred to the move of toppling McCarthy as the "elephant in the room".

However, as per the NBC News sources, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, who represents Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District, suggested it might be too early for such a drastic threat.

Paul Gosar, the&nbsp;Representative of Arizona, reportedly suggested using 'the motion vacate' to force McCarthy to allow members to amend the bills on the House floor, under an "open rule" that could stall the passage of the bill in the House.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-us-is-running-out-of-cash-know-what-is-debt-ceiling-and-current-crisis-595534" target="_blank">Explained | US is 'running out of cash'. What is the debt ceiling crisis?</a>

Caucus Chairman Perry, however, responded by saying that they will discuss the issue later in Washington.

NBC reports that one of the lawmakers on call said that "Some people feel this is a complete miss," but that, "there are five or more who would be sympathetic to Buck’s position."

Yet another lawmaker reportedly made the blunt statement that "The unity we had is gone."

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United States debt ceiling deal that was recently struck between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been the subject of much criticism.

The United States debt ceiling deal that was recently struck between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been the subject of much criticism. Amid this, some hard-line conservatives have now reportedly started floating the idea of toppling McCarthy from the speaker seat. As per NBC News, on a recent Freedom Caucus call, Colorado representative Ken Buck pitched the idea of using the motion vacate — a rule that would any congress member to force a vote to remove the house speaker. This information was shared with NBC by two anonymous sources familiar with the matter. Freedom Caucus The Freedom Caucus, as per Pew Research, is an invitation-only group in the United States House of Representatives. Ideologically, the group's members are among the most conservative members of the House Republicans. Several of them fall at the extreme right end of the spectrum. Also read | US is nearing its debt default deadline. What is its impact on Indian economy? Also known as the House Freedom Caucus, the congressional caucus was formed in January 2015 by a group of conservative and Tea Party movement members with the aim of pushing the Republican leadership to the right. Right-wing and the debt deal Many right-wing members have spoken against the deal, calling it "insanity," and a "turd sandwich." However, they've held back from threatening to oust McCarthy over the agreement. The 'elephant in the room' Reportedly, towards the end of the Freedom Caucus call, Representative Buck referred to the move of toppling McCarthy as the "elephant in the room". However, as per the NBC News sources, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, who represents Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District, suggested it might be too early for such a drastic threat. Paul Gosar, the Representative of Arizona, reportedly suggested using 'the motion vacate' to force McCarthy to allow members to amend the bills on the House floor, under an "open rule" that could stall the passage of the bill in the House. Also read | Explained | US is 'running out of cash'. What is the debt ceiling crisis? Caucus Chairman Perry, however, responded by saying that they will discuss the issue later in Washington. NBC reports that one of the lawmakers on call said that "Some people feel this is a complete miss," but that, "there are five or more who would be sympathetic to Buck’s position." Yet another lawmaker reportedly made the blunt statement that "The unity we had is gone." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Republican 'Freedom Caucus' plotting to topple House Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Report

The newly-elected US House of representatives has again failed to elect their speaker after 13 rounds of voting in the last three days. While, Kevin McCarthy says he finally has the votes to be elected speaker of the house.

Kevin McCarthy loses 13th vote for House speaker

Republican Kevin McCarthy finally secured the support he needed and was elected as the Speaker of US House of Representatives after the lawmakers cast their votes for a record 15th round and much chaos. The last round of voting took place shortly after results of the 14th round were declared.&nbsp;McCarthy had been expected finally to win a majority to lead the Republican-controlled House, but his victory lap was derailed by a right-wing rebellion in its own ranks that extended the contest to one of the longest in US history.&nbsp;

McCarthy had been hoping to secure the gavel in the 14th round before midnight Friday, but suffered a shock defeat amid Republican infighting as he came up short by just one vote out of more than 400 cast.

In the 14th round of voting McCarthy got 216 votes while Democratic candidate Hakeem Jeffries got 212. Andy Biggs received support from 2 representatives, as did Jim Jordan. According to these results, McCarthy was just one vote shy of the number that he required to clinch victory.

Six Republicans withheld their votes or voted for other candidates, hours after McCarthy&nbsp; had predicted that "It's going to happen."

In hope&nbsp;of securing enough votes to win, he had called an hours-long recess for the chamber, with lawmakers returning at 10 p.m. (0300 GMT Saturday) for another round of voting.

The decisive moment came when hardline Representative Matt Gaetz withheld his vote from McCarthy. Members of the party leadership hovered over the Florida Republican for several minutes trying to persuade him to change his mind before admitting defeat.

The prolonged contest left the House rudderless after a week of repeated votes that highlighted Republicans' divisions and raised questions about their ability to govern. The chamber has not seen this level of congressional dysfunction since 1859.

After McCarthy clinched victory, US President Joe Biden vowed to work with every lawmaker including the Republicans.

"I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can," he said. "This is a time to govern responsibly and to ensure that we're putting the interests of American families first."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Republican Kevin McCarthy finally secured the support he needed and was elected as the Speaker of US House of Representatives after the lawmakers cast their votes for a record 15th round and much chaos.

Republican Kevin McCarthy finally secured the support he needed and was elected as the Speaker of US House of Representatives after the lawmakers cast their votes for a record 15th round and much chaos. The last round of voting took place shortly after results of the 14th round were declared. McCarthy had been expected finally to win a majority to lead the Republican-controlled House, but his victory lap was derailed by a right-wing rebellion in its own ranks that extended the contest to one of the longest in US history. McCarthy had been hoping to secure the gavel in the 14th round before midnight Friday, but suffered a shock defeat amid Republican infighting as he came up short by just one vote out of more than 400 cast. In the 14th round of voting McCarthy got 216 votes while Democratic candidate Hakeem Jeffries got 212. Andy Biggs received support from 2 representatives, as did Jim Jordan. According to these results, McCarthy was just one vote shy of the number that he required to clinch victory. Six Republicans withheld their votes or voted for other candidates, hours after McCarthy had predicted that "It's going to happen." In hope of securing enough votes to win, he had called an hours-long recess for the chamber, with lawmakers returning at 10 p.m. (0300 GMT Saturday) for another round of voting. The decisive moment came when hardline Representative Matt Gaetz withheld his vote from McCarthy. Members of the party leadership hovered over the Florida Republican for several minutes trying to persuade him to change his mind before admitting defeat. The prolonged contest left the House rudderless after a week of repeated votes that highlighted Republicans' divisions and raised questions about their ability to govern. The chamber has not seen this level of congressional dysfunction since 1859. After McCarthy clinched victory, US President Joe Biden vowed to work with every lawmaker including the Republicans. "I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can," he said. "This is a time to govern responsibly and to ensure that we're putting the interests of American families first." (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Kevin McCarthy finally elected House speaker after 15 rounds of voting spread across four days