NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann voted for new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson on Wednesday, saying, "I like Mike!" He told Hutch Post why.
"He is a fantastic guy," Mann said. "He's a good friend. He is from Shreveport, Louisiana. I think if folks have a word to describe Mike Johnson, it would be humble. His faith is very important to him. He's humble. He's a servant leader, very conservative. What you see is what you get. I think he's exactly what our caucus, the Congress and the country need right now, and I'm really excited to have him as our new Speaker."
There is a looming deadline next month to pay the country's bills, but Mann believes there is time to do things the right way.
"I think we're going to keep working through the budget process," Mann said. "On the House side, the appropriations bills, the ones that have been done so far account for 70% of federal spending. Those are over on the Senate side. It's way past time, in my view, that Chuck Schumer chooses to take up those bills. Meanwhile, we're going to churn through more House appropriations bills today and next week, with an eye on this deadline that's coming up next month."
Mann said that even though floor work had to stop until they had a Speaker, other work has been going on.
"Committees are still in place," Mann said. "Committees have been meeting over the last three weeks. When you don't have a Speaker, business on the floor stops. However, that didn't stop committees continued to have met, work continues to be done. It's not a full restart for everybody or other bills that have passed this year. It's significant changes for Congressman Johnson, but everyone else, it's full steam ahead."
Mann does not know what effect, if any, the stoppage may have on the Farm Bill process, as they do not have the final language on that, yet.