53.4 F
Mobile
47 F
Huntsville
50.1 F
Birmingham
50 F
Montgomery

Alabama congressman in middle of power struggle over who will be next Speaker of the House

Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) is poised to become head of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, but first he may have to overcome a plan by Texas state legislators to intervene.

If custom is followed, Aderholt will become chairman based on his seniority.

According to custom of seniority, the majority party committee member with the most years of service on the committee serves as chairman, who is now Aderholt.

However, Republican members of Texas’s legislative delegation are working to get one of their own in as the head of the committee.

That’s according to a recent report by Politico, laying out a plan being considered by the Texas House GOP.

The plan proposes that the delegation support Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) – the current House Majority Leader – for House speaker in exchange for McCarthy’s support for Texas Republican Rep. Kay Granger as chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

Aderholt has been serving on the House Appropriations Committee since he was first elected in 1997.  Granger joined the committee during the next Congress.

“The whole delegation is unanimous behind [Granger], and we’re all using every opportunity, every chance we get to promote her for chair,” Rep. John Culberson (R-TX), who also serves on the committee, told Politico.

The chairmanship opened up after current Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) announced he would not seek reelection.

Don’t miss out!  Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.