The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a rules package on Friday that will make it far more difficult to remove a speaker, among other provisions.

Under the new rules package, which cleared the lower chamber in a 215-209 vote, a motion to vacate the chair will require a minimum of nine members of the speaker's same party backing the effort in order to receive a vote. 

The threshold for a vote on a motion to vacate had previously been one.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) exploited the single-lawmaker threshold to force a vote on his motion to vacate then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in October 2023, which passed after 208 Democrats and eight Republicans voted in favor of it.

The rules package also included provisions to dissolve the congressional Diversity & Inclusion Office and rename the “House Committee on Oversight and Accountability” as “the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform” and the “Office of Congressional Ethics” as the “Office of Congressional Conduct.”

In addition to those adjustments, the rules package tees up votes on several GOP-backed pieces of legislation, including a border security bill and a measure demanding proof of citizenship to vote in elections, which already passed the House last year but wasn’t taken up in the Senate.

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) thanked those concerned about a nasty fall she took at the Capitol Friday and said she was now feeling "just fine."

"Thank you to everyone for your prayers – just a few small cuts and I’m doing just fine," Foxx posted on X after the spill apparently gave her a bloody nose. "I’m a mountain woman, and we’re tougher than a $2 steak."

"One tough cookie! 🦊" echoed Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC).

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) reportedly fell down marble stairs at the US Capitol after the House speaker vote -- and was holding her nose as she received medical attention at the bloody scene.

Foxx, 81, was OK, a Capitol police officer told an ABC reporter, who tweeted that media was cleared from the area:

A bleeding Rep. Virginia Foxx is currently receiving medical attention - holding her nose as she receives aid - appears to have fallen down marble stairs on West side of House. Lots of blood but officer tells me she’s okay as press is cleared from area. She is conscious/ talking.

— John R Parkinson (@jparkABC) January 3, 2025

GOP holdout Rep. Keith Self (R-Tx.) had a "lively discussion" with President-elect Donald Trump and secured Freedom Caucus representation on an upcoming reconciliation bill before he flipped his no vote for Speaker Mike Johnson, CNN reported.

“We shored up the reconciliation team because we know that this will be a heavy lift to get the Trump agenda across the line in the reconciliation package … That’s all we did,” Self told the outlet.

Reconciliation is a process by which the Senate can bypass its usual 60 vote requirement to head off a filibuster and pass legislation with a simple 51 vote majority.

Self was originally one of three GOP no votes for Speaker Mike Johnson, which deprived him of the 218 votes necessary to secure the speakership for the next Congress.

Johnson was confirmed as Speaker after the Texas rep and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC.) flipped following a phone call with Trump, Punchbowl News reported.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) said Johnson would have lost without President-elect Donald Trump's endorsement, saying it was "very important" to shoring up GOP support, CNN reported.

"I think it was important," Biggs told the outlet.

The Arizona Congressman said he still has "concerns" about Johnson's leadership, but took Trump's desire to work with him "into account" when casting his vote.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), the lone Republican no vote for House Speaker Mike Johnson, joked that he is being "sworn at" today as the House convened the 119th Congress.

Johnson was sworn in as speaker after narrowly getting the necessary votes to hold onto the gavel, after two other GOP holdouts flipped and supported his bid to continue in the role.

"433 members of Congress are being sworn in today… I’m being sworn at," Massie posted on X.

Newly-elected House Speaker Mike Johnson took the oath of office after being elected leader of the chamber for the 119th Congress.

Johnson held up his right hand while placing his left on a bible as as as Rep. Hal Rogers of Kentucky swore him in.

The speaker then proceeded to swear in all of the elected members to the House en masse, after which the body erupted in applause.

With Post Wires.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson delivered a rousing victory speech after securing the votes to lead the chamber into the 119th Congress.

"It is the great honor of my life to serve this body with all of you," Johnson said.

The newly-elected speaker went on to lead the House in a moment of silence for the victims of the New Year's Day truck ramming terrorist attack that occurred in his home state of Louisiana.

Johnson vowed the incoming Congress will “drastically cut back the size and scope of government” and called the so-called administrative state a “totalitarian” force he promised to curtail.

“We will create a leaner, faster and more vigorous federal workforce,” Johnson promised.

With Post Wires

President-elect Donald Trump praised Mike Johnson for being re-elected in a Truth Social post Friday afternoon following the vote.

"Congratulations to Speaker Mike Johnson for receiving an unprecedented Vote of Confidence in Congress. Mike will be a Great Speaker, and our Country will be the beneficiary," Trump, 78, said.

"The People of America have waited four years for Common Sense, Strength, and Leadership. They’ll get it now, and America will be greater than ever before!"

President-elect Donald Trump spoke GOP holdout Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Keith Self (R-Texas) before the they flipped their votes and handed Mike Johnson the speakership in a stunning twist, Punchbowl News reported.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) also spoke with incoming Trump chief-of-staff Susie Wiles after Johnson initially failed to secure the 218 votes necessary to retain the gavel in the first round of voting.

After Norman and Self flipped, Johnson was confirmed the next House speaker before a second round of voting began.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has asked the chamber to pause for a moment of silence to remember those killed in the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans.

The Louisiana Republican will now deliver opening remarks after being re-elected.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) welcomed Mike Johnson (R-La.) into the speaker's chair after saying a few words on his behalf.

"The son of a firefighter, a god-fearing man, a husband and a loving father of four," Jeffries said.

"The 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the honorable Mike Johnson."