U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel open to empowering acting speaker Patrick McHenry, with conditions

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel became the first South Florida Democrat to support a compromise resolution to the House speaker drama on Thursday.

Frankel said she would be willing vote for a plan giving a temporary House speaker broader powers to move legislation forward. But she wants assurances that the official, a Republican, would prioritize legislation to avoid a government shutdown ahead of the November deadline as well as to address proposals for funding to embattled Israel and Ukraine.

"The Republicans do not seem to be able to get their act together, and we have a looming government shutdown in less than 30 days, and obviously some world crises," Frankel said, adding she wants to know what the House Democratic leader recommends.

"If Hakeem Jeffries recommends it, if there's been an agreement to deal with very important policy in the next 30 days, I would be for it."

But it is not clear the GOP House majority was willing to bring such a plan forward. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Pensacola, derided the plan as "speaker light" on Thursday and called on his colleagues to back Ohio congressman Jim Jordan's bid to become speaker.

A proposal to give Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry greater powers to gavel legislation forward had gained attention after Jordan appeared to support it. But that plan could require significant support from House Democrats as a significant number of Republicans appear to oppose it.

Republican Congressman Andrew Clyde of Georgia tweeted: "No kicking the can down the road. No empowering Speaker Pro Tem McHenry. No coalition government with radical Democrats."

Frankel did not specifically say she would support McHenry, just the concept of temporarily choosing a speaker.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick's office, D-West Palm Beach, said that she had no comment on whether she'd vote to empower a temporary speaker. Two other South Florida Democrats, U.S. Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Frederica Wilson, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Democrats voted to oust McCarthy: McCarthy needed Democrats to save job. South Florida's congressional reps took a pass.

As speaker post remains vacant, key matters are in limbo

So far, Republican infighting has left the speaker of the House's post vacant for more than two weeks. In limbo, as a consequence, are pressing national issues, like funding for Ukraine and Israel and a budget continuing resolution to avoid looming government shutdown.

A resolution to empower the McHenry, a North Carolina Republican, could be brought forward by U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, but is unclear on what additional powers such a temporary speaker might wield.

South Florida Republicans no-vote: House speaker vote: Another Florida Republican helps yank away gavel from Jim Jordan

Democrats were unified in repeatedly voting for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York as the next speaker, but to no avail since they're the minority party in the House. Florida Republican Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, Carlos Gimenez, John Rutherford and Vern Buchanan did not support Jordan.

The two weeks of standstill in the House has not been popular, even among GOP voters.

An AP-NORC poll released last week showed that only a quarter of Republicans approved of the historic ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, led by a small group of far-right Republicans in the House. Just three in 10 Republicans said ousting McCarthy was correct.

Stephany Matat is a politics reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY-Florida network. Reach her at smatat@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: South Florida Democrat open to empowering acting House speaker