McCarthy Concessions and the Representatives that made them happen

 

McCarthy Concessions and the Representatives that made them happen

By Jessica Schultz Pleasant

January 11, 2023

On January 3, 2023, the House of the United States came together to seat a new Speaker of the House and to swear in the new representatives for the 118^th United States Congress. In what has become a historic moment, Congress did not vote in the Speaker after the first vote. After the Republicans won the House by a slim majority all believed this was going to be a new beginning; a rebirth of the House after democrat Nancy Pelosi ruled like a monarch. A small faction of Republicans realized the rules Pelosi implemented to concentrate power in the speakership would only continue under republican Kevin McCarthy, unless some real negotiations were had before promises were made to vote for McCarthy.

According to NPR, the Republicans nominated Rep. Kevin McCarthy for Speaker in November 2022. For the past hundred years the Speaker of the House has always been within one round of vote. This has been a habit, which should not be labelled as “the norm”. Since a norm is based on a standard, going by the rules of the House that allows for debate over the Speakership would be in line with the Constitution. Conservatives, especially America First MAGA crowds, have been waiting for the moment to restore the House to the “norms” and away from House rules that empowered dictators like Nancy Pelosi.

Tension among the members met a Rep. fever pitch by the 14^th vote. After a stare down between rep Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert and Kevin McCarthy, a McCarthy ally, Rep. Mike Rogers, was pulled away as he charged towards Rep. Gaetz. Boebert and Gaetz were center stage in an uncomfortable room. Both appeared determined to make McCarthy earn his votes and to make drastic changes to the way Congress operates

The two representatives made their way on nighttime news channels through the whole ordeal. Sean Hannity from Fox News laid into Boebert over her perceived disruption to the process. Inevitably, even Hannity had to concede Boebert and Gaetz achieved more progress in the House in a few days of debate over the speaker than has been done in decades.

Under ex-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s command legislation was often written behind closed doors by Democrats. Pelosi would send legislation from a committee to be addressed by the Rules Committee. Traditionally a bill will leave the Rules committee and taken to the floor for debate. During a debates Republicans can introduce amendments and Congress would then debate among themselves over what should be written in the bill. Pelosi had bills go straight to a vote, completely skipping debates.

Under Pelosi’s tutelage the Democrats operated on the principle of having to pass a bill to learn what is inside it. This would be a moment when she was skipping the debate and going straight to a vote. Another example of preventing Republicans from having a voice was in regard to spending tax dollars on the Ukrainian war. Pelosi prevented Republicans from introducing an amendment that would create an accounting for where all of dollars are spent. The Democrats preferred to not have accountability or transparency of what American tax dollars are being used for in Ukraine. There is no way to know if corruption is occurring.

With each Congress a new Rules Package is created. The representatives come together and agree on how the process will work under new leadership. Many people do not know that a new Speaker can change the rules and give themselves more power. The House rules are not set in stone with each Speaker under the same restraints. This is not so. The Speaker that amounted the most power by manipulating the rules was none other than Nancy Pelosi.

This past November Republicans began work to create a Rules Package in the likelihood McCarthy would become House Speaker. Many rule changes had full support by Republicans. When Jan 3, 2023, came around for the Speaker vote, the Freedom Caucus still felt dissatisfied. Some are feeling cautious of making a vote without promises made in writing by McCarthy.

The Freedom Caucus has realized the core problem in the House is not that they are passing bad bills. The problem is who and how bills are chosen to go to the floor. If McCarthy continued Congress under the same rules as Pelosi, there would be little change. The House needed to change the way bills and amendments made it to the floor. The Freedom Caucus did not believe it would be productive to continue with the status quo and hope a vote comes along to change the process. Their demands were rational and needed debated and solved before Congress introduced any bills to the floor.

What did the debate between Republicans for the Speaker of the House achieve? These concessions include a return to the way Congress was originally directed. These are reversals of rules that were changed by Pelosi. In four days of historical debate, Freedom Caucus achieved more legislative changes to how the House operates than in decades. Congress representatives not connected with the right people or not in positions of power were not able to introduce changes they represent to be debated. This is a form of taking away the voice of their constituency. It prevents the people in their district from having their interests and issues addressed by the House.

A List of McCarthy’s Concessions

1. All bills must be provided to the representatives at least 72-hours PRIOR to a vote. When a party wants to rush a bill through the process, it is usually because they want a larger bill that allows the politician to sneak in a few wish-list items. Therefore, the politicians often love omnibus bills that are too large to read before a vote.

2. McCarthy pledged to bring votes on term limits, as Freedom Caucus does not believe a political official should make it a career and leave the governments as millionaires in the process. McCarthy was elected in 2006, so he would not benefit from term limits. He may become ineligible to run in his next election. According to the Washington Post, this vote would likely die in the Senate as it may be filibustered.

3. McCarthy pledged to have a vote on border security. On March 2, 2022, the Center for Immigration Studies reported the Biden Administration’s enabling of illegal immigrants had led to the loss of 20K immigrant children after making it into the United States. Likely to become victims of human trafficking. Their lives and blood are on our hands. We can only control what the U.S. does to protect Americans and immigrants. Republicans and moderate Democrats realize compassion is not enticing the immigrants to make a treacherous trip and end up as victims in our country.

4. McCarthy pledged to change how leadership and PACs donate in primaries. Many Republicans were upset Senator Mitch McConnell invested donor dollars on races already going to be conservative. For example, Mitch McConnell came to Senator Lisa Murkowski’s aid with millions of dollars against the Alaska GOP candidate Kelly Tshibaka.

The Republican solution was a deal made with The Conservative Leadership Fund, a McCarthy back PAC, and the Club of Growth. According to the Daily Mail, “The CLF committed to stay out of 'open' primaries when a lawmakers vacates a seat. That gives arch conservatives a chance to prevail in a primary without getting pounded by leadership, which sometimes weighs in on behalf of candidates deemed more 'electable.'

CLF swore to not spend funds in any open-seat primaries in districts already Republican. There would be no spending on Republican incumbents. This will allow for fresh faces and ideas representing the people of their state. A politician becomes more corruptible the longer one stays in office and the use of donor dollars have protected the political elite from being replaced.

5. Appropriations

According to the Daily Mail, “McCarthy reportedly agreed to allow 'open rules' on spending measures, which could lead to lengthy debates and efforts to zero out funding for programs unpopular with Republicans.”

Republicans want smaller, single issue focused bills. Promises the Appropriation bills would be stand-alone. The recent omnibus bill that passed through the House could have been delayed by Republicans. Congress could have passed an extension on funding the government until an agreement was made. Leaders like Senator Mitch McConnell decided to give away leverage Republicans would have used within the House. Instead of holding debates after the new Republican majority in Congress was sworn in, the GOP leadership voted for a bill thousands of pages long with only a few hours to read the bill. Instead, Congress passed another $1.7 trillion dollars with funds going to Ukraine once again.

An omnibus bill is used almost very year as both parties complain and threaten to shut down the government. The pressure of the Christmas holiday makes it easier to rush an omnibus through the House. This happens when the House is not doing their job throughout the year.

6. Discretionary Spending cap

Americans are aware of the Democrat leadership in the House pushing through trillions of taxpayer dollars to go to special interests and foreign countries. Inflation is now at a 40-year high. According to Fox News, the nation’s national debt is now over $31 trillion dollars. The Freedom Caucus wants to prevent a bill that will increase the federal government’s debt ceiling. Congress holds the governments “purse” and directs where funding is allocated. Increasing the debt ceiling is like taking out another credit card when all the others are maxed out. Visit this page for a break down of presidents and their role in the national debt.

US Debt by President: Dollar and Percentage (thebalancemoney.com)

7. Creation of a ‘weaponization’ of the DOJ Committee

Republicans have had growing concerns about how the US government is spying and destroying the lives of good Americans. Trump and his allies experienced undeniable injustice at the hands of the alphabet agencies. The DOJ has been running on double standards regarding Republicans and Democrats. The office will dramatize and clutch their pearls if a Republican denies a subpoena, even have them charged with violating a subpoena under Presidential Privilege. Parents became terrorist for opposing critical race theory in schools.

The Daily mail reported the House Rules package prepared by leaders creates a 'Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government as a select investigative subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary. It also creates a Select Committee 'on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.'

8. Create a Select Committee on the CCP

Republicans will create a Select Committee 'on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.’ America is dealing with China taking American jobs and profiting off American intellectual property. To expose the ways China has engaged within the American economy, in our schools and with social influences like TikTok tracking our families and corrupting our children.

 

 

=====================================================================================Who were the 20 Republicans demanding concessions or preferring another candidate:

1. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), former chair of the House Freedom Caucus (2019-2021), Ten Republicans voted for Biggs in the first speaker vote. Biggs was first elected in 2016 for Arizona’s Fifth District.

Currently serving on the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. He acts as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee of Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. He is currently co-chair of the Border Security Caucus, Vice Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus, and a co-founder of the bipartisan War Powers Caucus.

·       Previous experience: Eight years as an Arizona State House Representative and served six years as an Arizona State Senate.

·       Education: B.A. in Asian Studies from Brigham Young University, J.D. from University of Arizona, and M.A. in Political Science from Arizona State University.

·       Site: https://biggs.house.gov/about

2. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), member of the Freedom Caucus, claimed McCarthy has maintained the “status quo” that has made Congress appear ineffective and self-indulgent. Congressman if N.C. 9^th District.

·        Previous Experience: General Assembly member. Mecklenburg County Commissioner (2004-2008). N.C. House representative in 2014, and as state Senator in 2016. Bishop ran for a special election in 2019 and won re-election for N.C. 9^th Congressional District in November 2020. After two years of service, Bishop won the congressional seat of N.C.’s 8^th Congressional District.

After receiving his law degree, Bishop worked with business clients in the private sector for 29 years.

·        Education: Bachelor’s and law degree from the University if North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

·        Site: https://danbishop.house.gov/biography

3. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) a key source of energy behind the demands made of McCarthy. She is now serving her second term in Congress for Colorado’s Third Congressional District

Currently serving as: Natural Resources and Budget Committees, co-chair of the Congressional Second Amendment Caucus, Executive Board as the Communications Chair of the House Freedom Caucus and was also appointed to serve on the Future of American Freedoms Task Force, Vice Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus.

·        Previous Experience: Owner if Shooter’s Grill, known for controversy over her Second Amendment and Western them with armed open-carry employees in a city literally named Rifle, Colorado. Proud of her roots and humble beginnings, Boebert discusses her democrat family and the reliance of welfare. She worked for McDonald’s and dropped out of school to support her family.

 

She served her community through the local church. She volunteered in the counseling and assistance of vulnerable women within her local jail. Her aid helped prisoners reentering into society; preventing recidivism and cycles of women being incarcerated.

 

Boebert worked as a GIS technician, pipeline integrity coordinator and a natural gas product technician.

·        Education: Professional certifications and training that comes with working within the energy sector.

·        Site: https://boebert.house.gov/about/biography

4. Josh Brecheen (R-OKLA.), a 4^th generational rancher. Years of hard work operating a small heavy equipment and trucking business.

·        Previous Experience: Oklahoma State Senator, state president of the Oklahoma FFA Association. Field Representative to Senator Tom Coburn as Field Representative to Southeastern OK.

·        Education: Oklahoma State University

·        Site: https://joshbrecheen.com/about-page/

5. Michael Cloud (R-TX): 27^th Texas Congressional District, elected in 2018. His focus is on border security, immigration issues and concerns of military veterans.

Currently serving in the House Agriculture Committee. Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations Subcommittee and the Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee. Ranking Member if the Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee

·        Previous Experience: Small business owner

·        Site: https://cloud.house.gov/about-michael

6. Andrew Clyde (R-GA): Combat veteran; small business owner, serving as Georgia’s 9^th District. Established Clyde Armory in 1991, becoming nationwide providers of firearms.

·        Previous Experience:  Representative of the 117^th U.S. Congress. Currently serving on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Homeland Security Committee.

·        Education: Master’s Degree in Corporate Finance and Entrepreneurship from the University of Georgia. Previously her earned his commission to the U.S. Navy from Notre Dame. Deployed three times, to Kuwait and Iraq.

·        Site: https://clyde.house.gov/about/

7. Eli Crane (R-Ariz): Representative of 2^nd district of Arizona. First elected in recent midterm in November 2022. New member in the 118^th U.S. Congress.

·        Previous Experience: US Navy SEALS and co-founder of Bottle Breacher (manufacturing bottle openers and 50-caliber shell casings. Appeared on Shark Tank with his wife with a product invented into by Kevin O'Leary and Mark Cuban.

·        Site: https://crane.house.gov/

8. Byron Donalds (R-FLA.): Nominated for House Speaker against Kevin McCarthy in 2023 US 118^th Congress. US Congressman for Florida’s District 19. Florida State University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance and marketing. Elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016.

·        Previous Experience: Worked within banking, finance and insurance. Byron served as the PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee Chair during the 2018-2019 Legislative Session and served as the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee's Chairman 2019-2020 Legislative Session. While serving in the Florida House, primarily focused on elder affairs, criminal justice reform, and ensuring that each child has access to a world-class education.

·        Education:

·        Site: https://donalds.house.gov/about/

9. Matt Gaetz (R-FLA): Began his fourth term as Florida’s US House of Representatives, representing Florida’s 1^st Congressional district since 2017. Supporter in the legalization of Cannabis as a Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substance Act. He introduced legislation to lessen federal restrictions on cultivation of cannabis for research and to expand the state’s Right to Try Act. The Right to Try Act initiated under the Trump Administration allowed those people suffering with a deadly disease to choose the treatments that are last ditch efforts to save their lives.

Serving as a member of House Armed Services Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. In Congress his focus is on national security, veterans’ affairs, and adherence to constitutional principles.

·        Previous Experience: Private practice American lawyer. A Florida House of Representative from 2010 until 2016. National acclaim for defending the “stand-your-ground law”. Reelected in 2018, 2020, and 2022.’

·        Education:

·        Site: https://gaetz.house.gov/

10. Bob Good (R-VA): Representative of the 5^th District of Virginia. His first term began with the 117^th U.S. States Congress. A freedom Caucus member, he serves on the Education and Labor Committee and the Budget Committee.

·        Previous Experience: Good served a term on the Campbell County Board of Supervisors from 2015 to 2019. Good spent 17-years with CitiFinancial. Followed by 15-years as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for the Development at Liberty University.

·        Education: Good earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and a Master of Business Administration while being a member of Liberty University’s wrestling team.

·        Site: https://good.house.gov/about

11. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz): Gosar became the U.S. Congressman to the Arizona 9^th District in 2010. Gosar is the founder and Chairman of the Congressional Nuclear Caucus, co-chaired by Debby Lesko. He is the grandchild of Slovenian and Basque immigrants from Banca.

Gosar serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. Dr. Gosar was the Republican Leader of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and a member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. During the 115^th and 16^th Congress Gosar served as the Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus.

·        Previous Experience: Gosar maintained a dentistry practice. He was declared “Dentist of the Year” by the Arizona. He is a member of the Arizona Dental Association Hall of Fame. Also, Gosar was vice-chair to AzDA council on governmental affairs. Gosar was Northern Arizona Dental Society.

·        He served as president of the AzDA during 2004 to 2005. Gosar served as president of the

·        Education: B.S. degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, D.D.S. from Boyne School of Dentistry at Creighton.

·        Site: https://gosar.house.gov/biography/

12. Andy Harris (R-MD): Harris is the son of Eastern European immigrants fleeing communism after World War II. He serves as a Republican Congressman for the First District of Maryland. A member of the GOP Doctors Caucus. He serves on the Committee on Appropriations and on the Agriculture Subcommittee and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee.

·        Previous Experience: Harris was a physician at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He served in the Naval Reserves. He established and commanded John Hopkins Naval Reserve Unit. Served during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm at Bethesda Naval Hospital. He left the reserves at the rank of Commander (O-5) after 17-years. In 1998, he began a 12-year service in the Maryland State Senate. Harris was then elected and the representative of the First District of Maryland in 2010.

·        Education: Studied medicine at Hopkins. He specialized in obstetric anesthesiology, which specializes in maintaining a fetus or baby under anesthesiology.

·        Site: https://harris.house.gov/about

 

13. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FLA): In 2020 Luna began to serve as the 13^th District of Florida. She is a member of the Freedom Caucus. She is of Mexican and German descent and raised in Los Angeles by her mother.

·        Previous Experience: Luna is a U.S. Air Force veteran. She served as an airfield manager at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and Florida. Luna spent time as a reporter for the conservative media company El American, a director for Hispanic engagement within PragerU and Turning Point USA.

·        Education: Studied at the University of West Florida. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at University of West Florida.

·        Site: https://luna.house.gov/

 

14. Mary Miller (R-ILL.): Miller serves as the 15^th Congressional District of Illinois. She is a member of the Freedom Caucus and the Republican Study Committee. Miller drew the highest-profile attention when she said in January 2021: “Hitler was right on one thing: He said, ‘Whoever has the youth has the future.’” She serves on the House’s Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Education and Labor. Miller won her the general election of 2020 with over 70% of the vote. Redrawing of district 15 in Illinois placed Miller against incumbent Rodney Davis, and she won by 14 points. On January 6, 2021, she was a House member that objected to the electoral votes provided by Arizona to elect Joe Biden as president.

Miller voted against the House resolution to award Congressional Gold Medals to Capitol Police after the Democrats and the Capitol Police failed to protect the Capitol from rioters on January 6, 2021. She is on House Agriculture Committee and House Education & Labor Committee

·        Previous Experience: Miller has operated a family farm for the past 40 years in Oakland, Illinois. She is proud of her time spent teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.

·        Education: Graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a B.S. in Business Management, graduate coursework in education, teaching certification from the State of Illinois. Mary and her husband Chris raised a family on a budget and have run their Oakland-based family farm for the last forty years.

·        Site: https://marymiller.house.gov/

15. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.): Serves as South Carolina’s 5^th District congressman.

·        Previous Experience: Aided in running his father’s construction business that one day became one of South Carolina’s most successful commercial real estate developers. Norman served in the York County Home Builders Association, the Children’s Attention Home, the Salvation Army, and the Medical University of South Carolina Board of Visitors.

·        Education: He attended Presbyterian College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business.

·        Site: https://norman.house.gov/

 

16. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn): Ogles won his seat as the congressman of the 5^th District of Tennessee.

·        Previous Experience: Ogles operated a restaurant and is a real estate investor, He became the COO of the nonprofit Abolition International

·        Education: Ogles studied Political Science at MTSU and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree

·        Site: https://andyogles.com/

 

17. Scott Perry (R-PA): Perry is the son of Colombian immigrants Perry serves as Pennsylvania's 10th District’s congressman, once known as the 4^th District from 2013-2019. From 2006-2012 he represented the 92^nd District of Pennsylvania. He serves on the House Transportation, Infrastructure, and Foreign Affairs Committees. From 2006 to 2012, and served on the Committees on Appropriations, Consumer Affairs, Labor Relations, Veterans Affairs, Emergency Preparedness, and Rules. He is the chair of the Freedom Caucus, and member of the Congressional Veterans Caucus, and the Second Amendment Caucus.

·        Previous Experience: A retired US Army National Guard Brigadier General. He began an enlisted career in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 1980. He graduated as a commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Field Artillery. He was then qualified as a helicopter pilot in the United States Army Aviation Branch. Perry co-founded Hydrotech Mechanical Services, Inc. He is a member of Dillsburg America Legion Post #26, Dillsburg Veterans of Foreign Wars VFW Post #6771, and Lions Club International.

 

Perry was a Lieutenant Colonel commanding the 2-104th General Support Aviation Battalion He was deployed to Iraq from 2009-2010. He flew 44 combat missions. In 2011, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel, became Commander of the Fort Indiantown Gap National Training Site. and was selected to attend the coveted Perry was privileged to be selected for promotion to the rank of Brigadier General in 2014 and served as the Assistant Division Commander of the 28th Infantry Division.

 

After serving in his final position as the Assistant Adjutant General, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Brigadier General Perry retired on 1 March 2019, upon nearly 40 years of military service. In 2014, Perry was promoted to Brigadier General and served as the Assistant Division Commander of the 28^th Infantry Division. He last served as the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Assistant Adjutant General. After 40 years, Perry retired as a Brigadier General.

 

According to Perry’s Congressional website, he has experience at the local level of politics and “serving as the chairman of the Carroll Township Planning Commission, and as a member of the Township Source Water Protection Committee. He was chairman of the Dillsburg Area Wellhead Protection Advisory Committee and served on the Dillsburg Revitalization Committee. He remains a member of the Jaycees and held the office of regional director for the state organization. He’s a member of Dillsburg Legion Post #26, Dillsburg VFW Post #6771, and is a Lions Club International Member.”

 

·        Education: Perry graduated from Northern High School in Dillsburg and Cumberland-Perry Vo-Tech School in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. While working full-time, he earned an associate's degree from Harrisburg Area Community College and graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in business administration and management. He earned qualifications to fly the following aircraft: Huey, Cayuse, Kiowa, Cobra, Chinook, Apache, and Blackhawk, and as an Instructor Pilot. He was prestigiously selected to attend the United States Army War College, from which he earned a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies.

·        Site: https://perry.house.gov/

18. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont): In 2010, Rosendale served two years as a House Representative of Montana. He then served four years in the Montana Senate and was elected the Senate Majority Leader. He and his family live on a ranch in Montana. In 2021-2023 he served as Montana’s At-Large district and is presently serving as the 2nd District of Montana’s congressman. Rosendale serves on the Committee on Veteran Affairs and Committee on Natural Resources.

In 2011, Rosendale served in the state legislature on the Business and Labor Committee, the Transportation Committee, and the Local Government Committee. In 2012 he began to represent the Senate District 19.

In the 2013 Senate Rosendale was Vice Chair of the Natural Resources and Transportation Committee. He also served on the Finance and Claims Committee, the Highways and Transportation Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.

In 2014 he was elected as State Senate Majority Leader Chair of the Rules Committee and as a member of the Finance and Claims Committee and Natural Resources and Transportation Committee. During his term he approved direct primary care and Medi-Share. In 2017, he created a reinsurance program so that individuals with pre-existing conditions could access affordable health coverage.

Rosendale has been at odds with the governor of Montana, Steve Bullock. As usual a democrat stands in the way of major healthcare changes that are better for the people. Bullock vetoed Rosendale’s legislation that would create a reinsurance program that would serve individuals with pre-existing conditions. Afterward, Rosendale worked across the aisle to create a reinsurance program, and the federal government allowed for a waiver to proceed with the program.

Another piece of legislature that would improve health care was his efforts to combat spread pricing by third party pharmacy benefits managers. Spread pricing makes huge profits for big pharma and insurance companies, because spread pricing is spreading the expense of more expensive treatments across all medicines. For example, paying $20 for an aspirin is the result of offering cheaper prices for chemo treatment. This habit makes insurances and big-pharma millions of dollars each year off their patients and state healthcare programs.

·        Previous Experience: Rosendale worked within real estate, real estate development, and land management. He built upon his family’s real estate business and now offers a full-service firm in four locations. He now employees around 65 agents. He served as the head of his local Catholic parish counsel. Rosendale was a member of a local group that runs expositions for agricultural business. He was elected twice as chairman the Glendive Agri-Trade Expo committee.

 

Rosendale most recently served as the State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance. He has decided not to accept any pay raises for his government service. During 2011 to 2017 he served in both of Montana’s Legislature houses.

·        Site: https://rosendale.house.gov/

 

19. Chip Roy (R-TX): Roy serves as the 21^st District of Texas congressman. He serves on Congress’s House Judiciary Committee and House Committee on Veteran’s Affairs.

·        Previous Experience: s a former federal prosecutor and top advisor to many prominent Texas elected officials. chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), staff director of Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-TX) leadership office and senior counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In Texas, Roy was the First Assistant Attorney General under Ken Paxton and served as a senior advisor to then-Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX).

Roy was an investment banking analyst for NationsBanc Capital Markets as a consultant, and as a counsel in the Oil & Gas industry. The congressman also served as the Vice President of Strategy for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He began working for then-Texas attorney general John Cornyn on his 2002 campaign for the United States Senate.

 

Cornyn was elected and made vice chairman of the Republican Committee and the Judiciary Committee, Roy served as his staff director and senior counsel. Roy was special assistant in the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. When Texas attorney general Ken Paxton won an election, he chose Roy as his first assistant attorney general. According to The Texas Tribune, Roy later called for Paxton to resign after allegations of “prohibitions related to improper influence, abuse of office, bribery and other potential criminal offenses.”

 

·        Education: Roy attended the University of Virginia, receiving a Bachelor of Science in commerce in 1994 and a Master of Science in information systems in 1995.[2]

·        After graduation Roy spent three years as an investment banking analyst.[2] Wary that his career might require him to relocate to Manhattan, Roy decided to pursue a different career.[2] He enrolled at the University of Texas School of Law, where he met his future wife, Carrah.[2] He graduated in 2003 with a Juris Doctor.

·        Site: https://roy.house.gov/about

 

20. Keith Self (R-TX): 3^rd District of Texas.

·        Previous Experience: former county judge who is the United States representative for Texas's 3rd congressional district.

·        Education: earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy in 1975. He was a member of the Army Special Forces and Army Rangers. He was deployed to Qatar, Egypt, Germany, Afghanistan, and Belgium.[2] Self later served as the county judge[a] for Collin County, Texas.

·        Site: https://keithself.house.gov/

 

Sources:

1. Alic, H. (17 NOV 2022). Freedom Caucus demanding McCarthy cede some power as price for support. Fox News. Retrieved Jan 9, 2022. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-freedom-caucus-pushes-to-remove-speaker?fbclid=IwAR2DL6A8pw2Ttv8nZl16Db6rvUMq-6QE1J1iSKD32QrctubnhjBg8pxw07Q

2. Arthur, A. (02 MAR 2023). Biden Administration Lost — Yes, Lost — Nearly 20,000 Migrant Children. Center for Immigration Studies. Retrieved January 9, 2023. https://cis.org/Arthur/Biden-Administration-Lost-Yes-Lost-Nearly-20000-Migrant-Children.

3. Bushard, B. (07 JAN 2023). Kevin McCarthy’s Concessions: Here’s What He Gave Up To Win House Speakership. Forbes. Retrieved Jan 8, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/01/07/kevin-mccarthys-concessions-heres-what-he-gave-up-to-win-house-speakership/?fbclid=IwAR3f79vbEV0J6Fn7k66IZ87hBQ1gSMB-CHvOJ1EQtB-NHD7cBQYmc9g8vRo&sh=76039f306031

4. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. (27 JAN 2022) The Case for Restoring Discretionary Spending Caps. Retrieved Jan 10, 2023. https://www.crfb.org/papers/case-restoring-discretionary-spending-caps#:~:text=Policymakers%20should%20reinstate%20discretionary%20spending%20caps%20at%20realistic%2C,%24480%20billion%20to%20%24790%20billion%20over%20a%20decade.10. US national debt surpasses $31 trillion for the first time in history

5. Earle, G. (06 JAN 2023). Kevin McCarthy's concessions that won him a pocket full of votes – but could give him a giant headache if he becomes Speaker. Daily Mail. Retrieved January 8, 2023. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11608231/Kevin-McCarthys-concessions-won-pocket-votes-Speaker.html

6. Foran, C., Raju, M., Grayer, M. (7 JAN 2023). McCarthy elected House speaker after days of painstaking negotiations and failed votes. CNN. Retrieved January 8, 2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/06/politics/mccarthy-speaker-fight-friday/index.html?fbclid=IwAR27am-sY4_7TTQit6AZgv_0nBbgNufylVx-OToC875o2ArtVEh5jtGt__A

7. Jones, D. (04 JAN 2023). The 118th Congress is off to a historic start. Here's a look at the first day. Health News Florida. Retrieved January 8, 2023. https://health.wusf.usf.edu/2023-01-04/the-118th-congress-is-off-to-a-historic-start-heres-a-look-at-the-first-day

8. Kasperowicz, P. (04 OCT 2022). US national debt surpasses $31 trillion for the first time in history. New York Post. Retrieved Jan 10, 2023. https://nypost.com/2022/10/04/us-national-debt-surpasses-31-trillion-for-the-first-time-in-history/

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