Moments after being elected Speaker of the House, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) called for reconciliation within his Republican caucus, and then gave a nod to more conservative members by promising to change how the chamber conducts business.
The Wisconsin legislator took over for a typically emotional John Boehner (R-Ohio) during Thursday proceedings. Boehner, who had announced his imminent resignation last month, officially stepped down after years of bitter fighting with the party’s right flank. In the 114th Congress, that feud reached a fevered pitch following the formation of the House Freedom Caucus.
“I’m not interested in laying blame. We’re not settling scores,” Ryan told the full House in his first remarks from the chair. “We’re wiping the slate clean.”
Ryan then promised a “return to regular order”—a pledge often made by new leadership to stakeout a position against backroom dealing and rushed legislation.
Admitting the “House is broken,” Ryan said that “committees should retake the lead in drafting all major legislation.”
He also blasted the notion of seniority. “We need to let every member contribute—not once they’ve earned their stripes, but now,” Ryan said. “If you know the issue, you should write the bill.”
Both the House Freedom Caucus and Tea Party members have called for the legislative process to be less opaque.
Ryan also reached out to Democrats in his speech, claiming they, too, will play a role in a more open process.
“Let people participate,” he said, “A neglected minority will gum up the works. A respected minority will work in good faith.”
At 45-years-old, Ryan is the youngest Speaker of the House in nearly 150 years.
He might be able to temporarily avoid many of the problems suffered by his predecessor, due to ongoing disputes over the debt ceiling. A budget deal recently negotiated by GOP leadership and the White House that would keep the government funded and lift sequestration limits was passed by the House on Thursday: something Boehner said he would do before exiting Congress.
During the Speakership election Thursday, Ryan received 236 votes from fellow lawmakers. Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) received 184 votes.
Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), endorsed by the House Freedom Caucus ahead of the contest, received only nine votes.
