Congressman Marlin Stutzman released a statement this morning saying he will not vote for John Boehner for Speaker of the House.
A handful of House Republicans have expressed their displeasure with Boehner’s leadership.
Stutzman released the following statement on his official Facebook page.
“In my years of service as a state and federal legislator, I’ve been honored to consistently support the leadership of my party because of their commitment to conservative principles. The parliamentary procedures of the US House of Representatives are a proven framework for respectful thought and dialogue as the best means to guide proposed laws through a meticulous legislative process.
“One month after winning the 2014 midterm elections, the current House leadership forced members to vote on the “CROmnibus” legislation less than three days after it was introduced, a violation of the spirit of the House of Representatives “three-day rule” before voting on bills. Legislation that contains almost 1,700 pages of legal language deserves the time and attention required to comprehend its content before bringing it to the floor for a vote. Recorded votes that break our own rules are no better than “passing a bill so we can find out what’s in it”. It is a dangerous practice that consistently results in laws that are detrimental for the American people. This type of disregard for regular order and other similar actions will not do anything to build the trust of the American people. We can and must do better.
“I’ve been in regular contact with leadership before and after my public statement of disappointment in the passage of the 2014 “CROmnibus” bill. Out of respect for the process and those in positions of elected leadership in the House, I’ve worked to resolve these issues with them individually.
“The American system of government is based on the idea that ultimate power lies in the people, not the federal government. Our elected officers at all levels of government must be accountable to the rules and structures that have been established as a proven means of governing with integrity. Congress should not be the exception, but the example of such rule of law. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard. House Republicans have fought valiantly to protect freedom and liberty these past 4 years. I do not believe that Republicans were given majorities in both the House and Senate because of a “pro-Republican” agenda. Rather, the majorities that Republicans now hold exist because the American people are opposed to President Obama’s agenda. We were sent to Washington to stop policies that are hurting hardworking Americans and to put government back in its proper place: serving the people.
“The next chapter for our nation can be full of new opportunity for all Americans, but only if our elected officials keep their commitment to Constitutional principles of responsible government. It begins by running a transparent legislative process. On November 6th, the American people voted to change the status quo in Congress. Therefore, after long thought and careful consideration, tomorrow, I will respectfully cast my vote to support new conservative Republican leadership for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives.”
