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U.S. NEWSFriday 30 October 2015
House Republicans,
seeking unity, elect
Paul Ryan speaker
House Speaker John Boehner stands with his successor Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., left, in the House battle-tested lawmaker Cruz, who canceled cam-
Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. to mend its self-inflicted paign events to rush back
wounds and craft a con- to Washington to oppose it.
Associated Press servative message to woo The budget vote under-
voters in next year’s elec- scored Ryan’s challenge
ALAN FRAM publicans rallied behind of House speaker on Thurs- tions. in leading Republicans
Ryan — a former Republi- who often have scant in-
Associated Press Rep. Paul Ryan to elect day as the splintered party can vice presidential can- terest in compromise, es-
didate — became the pecially with a Republican
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- him to the powerful post turned to the youthful but 54th speaker of the House presidential contest domi-
with 236 Republicans call- nated by candidates who
ing out Ryan in a roll call vilify Washington insiders.
vote, putting him second in Republicans opposed the
line to the presidency and budget deal by 167-79, but
atop a chamber that has Democrats supported it
been awash in tumult ever unanimously.
since defiant conservatives Conservatives complain
hounded Rep. John Boeh- that Boehner has been ex-
ner, into announcing his cessively powerful, forcing
resignation from that post bills to the House floor with-
last month. out rank-and-filed input,
Just nine hard-line con- dictating committee chairs
servatives voted against and punishing rebels. One
Ryan, instead backing a lit- leader of the right-wing
tle known Florida lawmak- Freedom Caucus, Rep.
er. Most of them, including Raul Labrador, said con-
members of the rebellious servatives expect Ryan to
House Freedom Caucus, alter that.
backed Ryan, though it “We’re going to have
was clear that future ten- his back for the next few
sions between them and months and make sure that
Ryan could not be dis- we give him the opportuni-
counted. ty to show that he can be
The House is broken,” Ryan the leader that we hope
said in his first remarks to he can be,” Labrador said.
the chamber, seemingly Amiable and just 45, Ryan
referring as much to a Re- has been in Congress 17
publican civil war between years and has strong ties
hard-liners and pragmatists with all wings of the Repub-
as to the House’s usual par- lican Party. Past chairman
tisan divisions. “We are not of the House Budget Com-
settling scores. We are wip- mittee and current head
ing the slate clean.” of the Ways and Means
As Ryan spoke, senators panel, he’s put his imprint
across the Capitol were on deficit reduction, tax,
preparing to cast votes on health and trade legisla-
a broad two-year budget tion — prime subjects that
and debt deal that passed have raised his stature and
the House on Wednesday, put him at the center of
engineered largely by many of Congress’ highest
Boehner to allow Ryan a profile debates.
fresh start with the toughest Many Democrats like Ryan
issues resolved. but none hesitate to attack
The measure was ex- him as a symbol of Repub-
pected to clear an initial lican policies they consider
legislative hurdle well af- harsh.
ter midnight in a dead-of-
night vote resulting from These include efforts to
the Senate’s convoluted pare taxes for the rich, re-
legislative timetables and shape Medicare — the
delaying tactics by oppo- government health care
nents. Many in the Repub- system for the elderly —
lican majority planned to into a voucher-like pro-
vote “no,” including presi- gram and squeeze sav-
dential candidates Marco ings from Medicaid — the
Rubio, Rand Paul and Ted health care program for
the poor.q
