The Fight for the Speaker of the House
By LIZZ COGAN
For the first time in all of American history, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives was removed from the position. Kevin McCarthy, the former Speaker of the House, was removed from the position once he had angered his party over a decision he had made. Now, the House has no speaker and Congress is powerless to do anything about it. Bellefonte Area High School (BAHS) students have been affected in ways they could never have imagined.
BAHS senior, Cedric Bagwell, like many other students, are worried about how this decision can affect education here at BAHS.
“It’s a sad sight to see, a bit frightening as well,” Cedric said.
However, most people aren’t exactly sure what is happening and how it affects them.
“This issue will extend into how our education is given. This is because we are reliant on federal funding, something that cannot be passed without a speaker,” Cedric said.
After three failed votes for Jim Jordan to be the Speaker of the House, there were nine possible candidates. However, the leading party of the House has been split within itself and has been causing issues for decades.
“I find it telling of our current political climate that even members of a political party cannot agree on a voice to represent them. I am worried for what could happen if this issue is not resolved quickly,” Cedric said.
BAHS sophomore, Eli Rushton, is also concerned about how this situation will affect his and others’ education, as well as the national well-being.
“I think the absence of a speaker is affecting a lot of things right now not just school systems but is slowing down quite a few important processes considering the speaker is essential for the running of the house,” Eli said.
Despite the 21 days in which the US House of Representatives did not have a speaker, on October 25 the House elected Mike Johnson to the position. The new Speaker means that the House can now move on and continue the workings of Congress.
