House Speaker John Boehner announced he’s stepping down from one of the most powerful positions in politics. The decision Friday came as a shock to many, including fellow Republicans.
Some Republicans want to stop federal dollars going to Planned Parenthood – a fight that could lead to a government shutdown.
Now that the Speaker’s stepping down, Congress is expected to pass a short-term spending plan that funds Planned Parenthood and keeps the government open.
Winter Park Republican Congressman John Mica wasn’t expecting the announcement. “I think everyone is shocked. Most people believed he would stay and tough it out, he’s had opposition from the beginning,” said Mica
With Boehner gone, Mica expects a separate vote to defund Planned Parenthood.
He also hopes the move will focus Congress on compromise. “We’ll have some interim leadership and hopefully everybody can work together and get the Boehner issue behind us and the people’s issue of more jobs and better opportunity for their future as the focus,” said Mica.
A likely successor to Speaker Boehner is Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy from California.
The next speaker of the US House of Representatives will face the same challenges as outgoing speaker John Boehner, says Democratic Senator Bill Nelson.
Nelson says he believes Boehner is "fed up" with some of the Republican lawmakers in the House.
“He has just been pulling his hair out for the last several years as leader of the Republicans in the House of Representatives, because he can’t get that group of 60 extremists who want it their way or no way, he can’t get them to cooperate with him," said Nelson.
