Iran Press/ Commentary: During the vote on January 3, the commencement of the 119th term of the United States Congress, Mike Johnson secured 218 votes, meeting the quorum necessary to assume the significant role of Speaker of the House of Representatives. Put simply, Johnson managed to maintain his leadership of this crucial arm of the American legislature with just enough votes. This occurred even though initially three Republican members had abstained from voting for Johnson, stating that if they had stuck to their stance, Johnson would not have been able to hold onto the presidency of the House of Representatives.
Nevertheless, Johnson now leads an institution that faces challenging choices in the upcoming weeks and months, particularly the assessment of the federal government's temporary budget set to expire in March. Congressional members must reach a consensus on a new budget by that deadline; otherwise, the US federal government will face another shutdown.
Some time ago, Trump and his allies in Congress sought to halt the operations of the federal government during Joe Biden's presidency, which is concluding shortly, due to their resistance to endorsing a new temporary budget. But Republican Johnson, in an unexpected coordination with House Democrats, prevented the Biden administration from being shut down just weeks before the transfer of power in the United States. Of course, this decision could have cost Johnson the House leadership. However, Trump, annoyed with Johnson for obstructing the federal government shutdown, ultimately supported him so that the House leadership would not be changed.
In the November 2024 election, Republicans secured 220 votes, whereas Democrats obtained 215 votes. Out of these 220 votes, Matt Gates has stepped down from the House of Representatives due to corruption and moral misconduct. Additionally, if approved by the Senate, two other House of Representatives members will join Trump's cabinet and vacate their seats. In this scenario, the Republican Party, recognized as the majority party in the current Congress, will see its seat count drop below the quorum of 218 votes. Consequently, both parties will transition to minority status in the House until new elections are held to fill the vacancies left by departing members of the House of Representatives.
Until that time, any contentious bill backed by Republicans and the upcoming Trump administration will require the backing of several Democratic House members to pass, given the fragile majority Republicans hold in the Senate as well.
Hence, it is foreseeable that the legislative process in the United States in the upcoming months may encounter more obstacles than previously experienced, potentially impacting the public interest in the nation. 219
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