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.

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 […]

How does a ‘frozen’ U.S. House function without a speaker? Everyone’s got an opinion.

By: and - October 4, 2023

WASHINGTON — The stunning ouster of U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday — the first time a speaker has been removed in Congress’ 234-year history — created a leadership vacuum in the chamber and left multiple questions about how legislative business would proceed. North Carolina Republican Patrick McHenry ascended to the role of speaker pro tempore […]

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks with members of the media

U.S. House votes to remove Kevin McCarthy as speaker

By: , and - October 3, 2023

WASHINGTON — Dissident Republicans in the U.S. House voted with Democrats on Tuesday to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker, a historic move that came just nine months after he secured the gavel following days of negotiating with the GOP’s right flank and 15 rounds of voting. It wasn’t immediately clear after the vote how the […]

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz files motion to oust McCarthy as U.S. House speaker

By: - October 2, 2023

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House likely faces a decision this week on whether Kevin McCarthy should keep the role of speaker, after Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz on Monday night offered a motion to remove the California Republican. The so-called motion to vacate gives House GOP leaders up to two days to hold a vote […]

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks with members of the media

Next battle in Congress over Ukraine aid, as Biden presses House speaker for vote

By: - October 2, 2023

WASHINGTON — Republican and Democratic lawmakers are searching for a way to clear more aid for Ukraine, after Congress approved a short-term spending bill that didn’t include any additional money for the country. President Joe Biden on Sunday said that U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to find the votes needed to pass a supplemental […]

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

Congress clears bill to avert shutdown, with vote promised later on Ukraine aid

By: - October 1, 2023

WASHINGTON — Congress approved a bill Saturday night that would stave off a government shutdown until at least mid-November, though the measure doesn’t include Ukraine aid backed by Republicans and Democrats. The bipartisan 88-9 vote in the U.S. Senate, just hours before a midnight deadline, took place after the U.S. House earlier in the day […]