All posts tagged: speaker

NSS urges Speaker to support end to parliamentary prayers

NSS urges Speaker to support end to parliamentary prayers

The National Secular Society has renewed its call to remove prayers from the official business of Parliament. The NSS wrote to the Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle on Friday to urge him to “make it clear that our Parliament is a place where religion is not imposed” and MPs of all religions and beliefs “are equally welcome and valued”. Sittings in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords begin with Anglican prayers – one of the many privileges given to the Church of England due to its established status. Nearly half of MPs took secular affirmation or swore on non-Christian text The NSS’s letter follows the recent ‘swearing in’ ceremonies required for MPs to take their seat. MPs can either take a religious oath, usually while holding a religious text, or make a secular affirmation pledging allegiance to the monarchy. The right for both religious and nonreligious MPs to take their seat by making a secular affirmation was secured by NSS founder Charles Bradlaugh MP. Following the July general …

House Speaker Mike Johnson Survived a Motion to Vacate. Here’s Why His Job Is Far From Safe

House Speaker Mike Johnson Survived a Motion to Vacate. Here’s Why His Job Is Far From Safe

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mike Johnson’s job isn’t safe yet. In a stunning show of unity in the often divided House, Democrats joined a majority of Republicans on Wednesday to save the GOP speaker from an attempt by fellow Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to remove him from his post. But while Democrats in the minority threw the Louisiana congressman a life raft by voting on his side, they made clear they might not do so again. That means the threat for Johnson still lingers as Greene and other lawmakers can at any time call up another motion to oust him. The episode highlights the increasingly precarious situation for Johnson, who faces the same conservative forces that took down his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, but with an even smaller majority that has forced him to continuously rely on Democratic support to carry out the most basic functions of legislating. Republicans control the House by the barest of margins, 217-213. Here’s what to know about how the House can remove a speaker and what’s ahead for Johnson: WHAT …

US House blocks bid to remove Speaker Mike Johnson | Politics News

US House blocks bid to remove Speaker Mike Johnson | Politics News

In rare bipartisan move, Republicans and Democrats easily defeat effort by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The United States House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to defeat an effort by Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene to remove Speaker Mike Johnson, a fellow Republican. In an unusual move, Democrats joined Republicans in a 359-43 vote on Wednesday to keep Johnson in his leadership role and stave off further turmoil in the House. “I appreciate the show of confidence from my colleagues to defeat this misguided effort,” Johnson said following the vote. “Hopefully this is the end of the character assassination that has characterised the current Congress.” Hardline Representative Greene has, for weeks, sought to get Johnson kicked out after a string of compromises he made with Democrats over a $95bn bill for security assistance to US allies Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Greene is a leading voice of the far-right flank opposed to helping Ukraine. After the House passed the bill in April, she called Johnson a “lame duck”. Johnson’s leadership was “pathetic, weak, and unacceptable”, Greene said on …

AnkerWork S600 speaker phone with voice print recognition

AnkerWork S600 speaker phone with voice print recognition

The AnkerWork S600 is designed to be your ultimate companion, seamlessly integrating into your daily life and elevating your productivity and entertainment experiences to new heights. With its innovative features and sleek design, this multifunctional device is set to become an indispensable part of your routine. Picture yourself in a busy workspace, juggling multiple devices and constantly searching for power outlets. The AnkerWork S600 eliminates these hassles with its advanced 15W Qi2 certified wireless charging capabilities. Simply place your compatible devices on the charging pad, and watch as they power up swiftly and safely. No more fumbling with tangled wires or worrying about slow charging speeds. The AnkerWork S600 ensures that your devices are always ready when you need them, allowing you to focus on what matters most. Exclusive early bird pledges are now available for the avant-garde project from roughly $113 or £91 (depending on current exchange rates), offering a considerable discount of approximately 37% off the retail price, while the Kickstarter crowd funding is under way. Whether you’re working remotely, collaborating with colleagues, …

US House rejects effort to remove Speaker Johnson from office

US House rejects effort to remove Speaker Johnson from office

washington —  Hard-line Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene stunned colleagues Wednesday by calling for a vote to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. Lawmakers quickly rejected it. Greene pressed ahead with her long-shot effort despite pushback from Republicans at the highest levels tired of the political chaos. One of Donald Trump’s biggest supporters in Congress, Greene stood on the House floor and read a long list of what she called transgressions that Johnson had committed as speaker. Colleagues booed in protest. It was the second time in a matter of months that Republicans have tried to oust their own speaker, an unheard-of level of party turmoil with a move rarely seen in U.S. history. Greene of Georgia criticized Johnson’s leadership as “pathetic, weak and unacceptable.” Republican lawmakers filtered toward Johnson, giving him pats on the back and grasping his shoulder to assure him of their support. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise quickly moved to table the effort — essentially stopping it from going forward. The motion to table was swiftly approved. The Georgia Republican had vowed she would …

House votes overwhelmingly to save Speaker Johnson from Marjorie Taylor Greene’s push to oust him

House votes overwhelmingly to save Speaker Johnson from Marjorie Taylor Greene’s push to oust him

WASHINGTON — Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and his allies beat back a dramatic effort by far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to oust him from power on Wednesday, ending — for now — months of threats against his speakership. The lopsided vote to “table” or kill Greene’s motion to vacate the speaker’s chair was 359-43. Just 10 Republicans voted with Greene, seven Democrats voted present. There were 196 Republicans and 163 Democrats who voted to kill Greene’s motion; along with the 11 Republicans, 32 Democrats voted to move forward with her motion to oust Johnson. The vote came after weeks of threats from Greene to force the issue and after dragging her feet as it became clear she didn’t have enough support to remove the speaker. Unlike last year’s successful vote to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., many Democrats had made clear they would vote to save the speaker, especially after Johnson helped stave off a government shutdown, pushed through the renewal of a critical FISA spy tool and passed billions of dollars in foreign aid for Ukraine after months …

Bid to oust Speaker Johnson fails

Bid to oust Speaker Johnson fails

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks with reporters in Statuary Hall after meeting with Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie on May 6. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks with reporters in Statuary Hall after meeting with Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie on May 6. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images The House voted overwhelmingly to set aside a motion by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to call a vote to remove Mike Johnson as speaker of the House. The vote was 359-43 with seven members voting present. 196 Republicans and 163 Democrats voted to table the motion. “Hopefully, this is the end of the personality politics and the frivolous character assassination that has defined the 118th Congress,” Johnson told reporters after the vote. “It’s regrettable. It’s not who we are as Americans and we’re better than this — we need to get beyond it.” Only 10 Republicans voted alongside Greene. As promised, House Democrats largely supported Johnson in setting aside the call for …

US House Quickly Defeats Greene’s Effort to Oust Speaker Johnson

US House Quickly Defeats Greene’s Effort to Oust Speaker Johnson

By David Morgan and Makini Brice WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday swiftly and overwhelmingly defeated an effort by firebrand Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene to remove Speaker Mike Johnson, a fellow Republican, from his leadership role. Democrats joined Republicans in a 359-43 vote to protect Johnson’s speakership, in a bid to avoid a replay of the chaos that occurred in October when Republicans ousted his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy. Greene’s move represented a rare Republican defiance of presidential candidate Donald Trump, who in a social media post following the House vote on Wednesday, said it was “not the time” for Republicans to try to push out their own speaker. Greene’s measure, known as a motion to vacate, showcased the disorder that has marked Republicans’ slim 217-213 House majority, particularly since it had been clear that the effort would fail given Democrats’ opposition. “I appreciate the show of confidence from my colleagues to defeat this misguided effort,” Johnson, 52, said following the vote. “Hopefully this is the end of the character assassination that has …

Just  Gets You a New Amazon Echo Smart Speaker Today

Just $20 Gets You a New Amazon Echo Smart Speaker Today

Amazon’s Echo is the go-to smart speaker for many people and having one or more can be a huge help around the house. Whether you’re looking to listen to music, do some research or even just set some reminders, they’re a great way to avoid having to pick up that smartphone. Right now, Amazon has some huge discounts available across its line of Echo smart speakers, with the Amazon Echo Pop on sale for just $20, thanks to a 50% discount, and the Echo Dot with a 44% reduction. And that’s just the start. There are actually deals on a lot of the Echo devices today, including the two we mentioned above. The Echo Pop is definitely a steal with such a big discount, and we love the Echo Dot, too, as it earned our pick as the best budget smart speaker you can buy. But it’s worth mentioning that the Echo Dot with a clock is also on sale, at 33% off. It packs in all of the same smart speaker functions you’d expect, but …