House votes to remove McCarthy as speaker

After Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz argued why fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy should be ousted as House speaker, members of the chamber voted to remove McCarthy from his speakership by a vote of 216-210.

Video Transcript

MATT GAETZ: Kevin McCarthy is the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and he has failed to take a stand where it matters. So if he won't, I will. I make no apologies for defending the right of every hardworking American to afford a decent life for themselves and their families. And we have a greater opportunity to do that and to build coalitions under new leadership.

We have to rip off the band-aid. We have to get back on a better course. And Mr. Speaker, I don't know how this vote is going to go. Usually when a vote comes to this floor, it's pretty predetermined. And this one, I'm not so sure. But I am sure that we've made the right argument. That this place deserves single subject spending bills. That we should have 72 hours to read a bill. That's something that spends more than $100 million shouldn't be put on the suspension agenda, such that we can't amend it.

And there shouldn't be secret side deals made on a continuing resolution to lump Ukraine in with border security. That is not right for Ukraine or border security, because it fails to give either of those issues the dignity that they would require. But we can return that dignity to this House.

We can get back on a better path. We can have single subject appropriations bills. We can set a budget, a budget top line. We haven't had a budget in this place since I was in high school. So let's get a budget, let's get our act together, let's get on with it, let's vacate the chair, and let's get a better Speaker.

- On this vote, the yeas are 216. The nays are 210. The resolution is adopted. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. The office of Speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives is hereby declared vacant. [BANG]