WASHINGTON (AP) — Time waits for no one. And neither does House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).
Closely enforcing the rules, Ryan gave lawmakers no more than the allotted 15 minutes to vote Wednesday on a bill that would give Congress greater oversight of the landmark Iran nuclear agreement. The bill was approved 191-106.
But wait!
Such strict enforcement has consequences as almost a third of the House — 137 members — missed the vote. Faced with frustrated lawmakers, Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), R-Calif., later “vacated” the vote — essentially rendering it null and void — and scheduled another one for Jan. 26.
Fifteen minutes is typically the amount of time that members have to get to the floor and vote. But it’s become standard practice for the House to keep a vote open much longer, especially the first vote of the day, allowing stragglers to vote and keeping more timely colleagues waiting.
Ryan was on the House floor for the Iran vote, even though the speaker usually is not. When the vote was gaveled, some members erupted in cheers over the display of punctuality. Two lawmakers fist-bumped. One yelled, “that’s how you do it!” The vote series was the last of the week, and the curtailed vote time enabled members to escape Capitol Hill more quickly.
The speaker gave notice to frequent late-voters last week, pausing between votes on the House floor to lecture members of both parties.
“As a point of courtesy to each of your colleagues, voting within the allotted time would help with the maintenance of the institution,” Ryan said.
Spokeswoman AshLee Strong said Ryan will continue to make vote times a priority, but the vote had to be rescheduled because so many members missed the important vote.
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