Military veterans among House Republicans say they seek compromise solution to Speaker standoff

Record ID: 1705196

  • Title: Military veterans among House Republicans say they seek compromise solution to Speaker standoff
  • Date: 4th January 2023
  • Summary: WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 4, 2023) (Reuters) GENERAL VIEW OF REPUBLICAN MEMBERS AND MEMBERS-ELECT OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (WHO ARE ALSO MILITARY VETERANS) ENTERING GENERAL VIEW OF GROUP (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN FROM MISSISSIPPI AND ARMY VETERAN, TRENT KELLY, SAYING: "You have 20 people demanding that 201 surrender to them unconditionally. Well, I will not surrender unconditionally. If you have conditions, give them to us. We'll consider them. Doesn't mean we'll do them, but you have to talk about them. We've asked and we've asked: 'What is it you want? What do you need?' But you have 20 people demanding the unconditional surrender of - including this group of warriors - we will not unconditionally surrender. Tell us what you want. We might surrender if you tell us the terms but just so you know, we're in the strong position. There's 201 of us and 20 of them." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN FROM FLORIDA AND ARMY VETERAN, MIKE WALTZ, SAYING: "And what you're hearing in our collective frustration is we're not getting anything specifically back. What gets us to that 218 with Kevin McCarthy so that we can move forward? Because we have just as many as you saw from vote after vote after vote. It's not as though momentum is shifting. Each side is digging their trenches deeper, and I think that's a disservice to those men and women who are overseas depending on us and to those who elected us." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN FROM FLORIDA AND RETIRED NAVY SEAL, DERRICK VAN ORDEN, SAYING: "I want to be clear with everybody. Absolutely we will compromise. We will compromise, but we will not capitulate. There's a very serious difference. There's 222 Republicans in our conference now. So if 20 people are able to drive this train however they want to, 202 of us might as well go home. Because that means they are the conference. That means those 20 people will be the majority. Well that is capitulation. And we will not do that. Compromise, yes. We've run through a whole bunch of stuff with these guys and gals that see things a little bit different, but 20 people are not going to be the majority of this House. 222 Republicans will, including them when they come back home." MEMBERS LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 18th January 2023 23:26
  • Keywords: House Republicans Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House U.S. House of Representatives military veterans
  • Location: WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES
  • City: WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES
  • Country: US
  • Topics: North America,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001046304012023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A group of military veterans who also serve as Republican legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives vowed on Wednesday (January 4) to work toward compromise with a small group of holdouts who have left the House mired in a chaotic leadership battle.
    The veterans spoke to reporters after a fourth, fifth and sixth round of voting saw Republican Kevin McCarthy fall short of winning a majority that would allow him to hold the office of Speaker of the House.
    Roughly 20 Republicans on the party's right flank refused to back a candidate they deemed ideologically unreliable.
    Republicans in the veterans's group repeatedly said on Wednesday evening that they were open to compromise with the 20. However, they added that the holdouts have offered no specifics about what they want.
    "And what you're hearing in our collective frustration is we're not getting anything specifically back. What gets us to that 218 with Kevin McCarthy so that we can move forward?" said Florida congressman and former Army officer, Mike Waltz.
    Member-elect and retired Navy Seal Derrick Van Orden emphasized the group's commitment to compromise, but added that did not mean capitulation.
    "Absolutely we will compromise. We will compromise, but we will not capitulate. There's a very serious difference. There's 222 Republicans in our conference now. So if 20 people are able to drive this train however they want to, 202 of us might as well go home. Because that means they are the conference. That means those 20 people will be the majority. Well that is capitulation. And we will not do that," he said.
    Following the sixth vote, lawmakers voted to recess until 8 p.m. ET (0100 GMT on Thursday) while they seek a solution behind closed doors.
    (Production: Greg Savoy, Kristin Neubauer)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register