Author

Jennifer Shutt

Jennifer Shutt

Jennifer covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include congressional policy, politics and legal challenges with a focus on health care, unemployment, housing and aid to families.

House Elects Mike Johnson Of Louisiana As Speaker

Next for a new U.S. House speaker: three-week deadline to dodge a government shutdown 

By: - October 26, 2023

WASHINGTON — Newly elected U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has three weeks to broker an agreement with Democrats to avoid a partial government shutdown when a short-term spending law expires on Nov. 17. The Louisiana Republican, who has leaped from relative obscurity to one of the four congressional leaders, has already spoken with his Senate […]

U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) arrives for a House Republican members meeting

Members of U.S. House GOP describe threats sparked by votes against Jim Jordan for speaker

By: and - October 19, 2023

WASHINGTON — Nebraska GOP Rep. Don Bacon said his wife slept with a gun for protection after she received threatening phone calls demanding that her husband support Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan’s bid for U.S. House speaker. Bacon was among a handful of members who reported threats and the targeting of family members after opposing the […]

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) speaks to members of the press

U.S. House gripped by paralysis again after GOP punts proposal for speaker pro tem

By: , and - October 19, 2023

WASHINGTON — A resolution meant to temporarily allow U.S. House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry of North Carolina to move critical legislation won’t be acted on, House Republicans said following a tense, closed-door meeting on Thursday. But it appeared that the House will vote a third time on whether Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan will serve […]

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) (R) talks to Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)

U.S. House stalled again after rejecting Jim Jordan as speaker a second time

By: and - October 18, 2023

WASHINGTON — Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan in his second bid for U.S. House speaker on Wednesday failed to win enough support from his fellow Republicans, leaving the party deadlocked with no clear path to govern the chamber. Jordan’s 200 votes on a first ballot on Tuesday dropped Wednesday to 199, a signal from centrist Republicans […]

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) walks to the House chambers

Ohio’s Jim Jordan fails in bid for U.S. House speaker, leaving chamber paralyzed again

By: , and - October 17, 2023

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House rejected Ohio’s Jim Jordan as a candidate for speaker on Tuesday, though he vowed to secure the votes needed in the days ahead. Jordan’s decision to try to rally roughly 20 holdouts to his side leaves the House frozen, unable to take up legislation to fund the government ahead of […]

Rep. Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio

Ohio’s Jordan the latest U.S. House GOP nominee for speaker after days of turmoil

By: , and - October 13, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans on Friday put forward their second nominee this week for speaker, though lawmakers departed Capitol Hill for the weekend without unifying enough to hold a floor vote and with a highly uncertain outcome when they return. Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan won the conference nomination in a closed meeting, defeating […]

U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA)

Scalise drops out of race for U.S. House speaker

By: and - October 12, 2023

WASHINGTON — Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise withdrew from the race for U.S. House speaker on Thursday evening, just one day after his colleagues nominated him for the role. “Our conference still has to come together, and it’s not there,” Scalise told reporters. “I was very clear we have to have everybody put their agendas […]

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., arrives to a House Republican Conference meeting

There’s still no speaker of the U.S. House. Could Patrick McHenry be the solution?

By: , and - October 12, 2023

WASHINGTON — Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise stepped into a closed-door meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday to negotiate with more than a dozen holdout Republicans in his quest to become the next speaker of the U.S. House, though dissent only seemed to grow following the three-hour session. No vote on the House floor […]

Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise

Scalise nominated by U.S. House GOP as speaker in closed-door meeting

By: , and - October 11, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans elected Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise as their nominee for speaker Wednesday following a secret ballot vote in a closed-door conference, according to Republicans leaving the meeting. “We need to make sure we’re sending a message to people all throughout the world, and that the House is open and doing the […]

Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise

Race for U.S. House speaker moves toward a vote as Scalise, Jordan make their pitches

By: and - October 11, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans gathered behind closed doors for several hours Tuesday evening to debate who the party should elect as the next speaker amid divided views about the path forward. The two-hour forum featured House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan making their cases and answering questions from their […]

Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

McCarthy may jump into U.S. House speaker race, as crises overseas mount

By: , , and - October 9, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans will gather behind closed doors beginning Monday night in an attempt to decide who should become the chamber’s next speaker, a race with a renewed sense of urgency with ally Israel now at war and the House in paralysis. Louisiana’s Steve Scalise and Ohio’s Jim Jordan are the only candidates […]

Ukrainian soldier sits on a bench

A murky outlook for Ukraine aid with U.S. House leadership in turmoil

By: - October 5, 2023

WASHINGTON — Additional military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine was on shaky ground earlier this week, before U.S. House Republicans evicted Kevin McCarthy from the speaker’s office. The revolt by eight members of the House GOP Conference, largely spurred by bipartisan deals McCarthy struck on the debt limit and a short-term government funding bill, complicated […]