John Boehner, the Republican Speaker of the House, will resign from Congress at the end of October, BuzzFeed News confirmed Friday.
Boehner has recently faced harsh criticism from the conservative wing of his party, who accuse him of not doing enough to defund Planned Parenthood, the reproductive health network that among other resources provides abortions.
Last week, Congress passed a largely symbolic bill to withhold tax dollars from the network, but many in Boehner's party were unsatisfied. Led by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas — who is also seeking the Republican nomination fyifor president — the conservative faction of the party demanded that a bill defunding Planned Parenthood be tied to a larger government spending bill.
Congress has until the end of the month to pass the spending bill. Failure to do so would result in yet another government shutdown. The resulting standoff led Boehner to resign, his aides told MSNBC and the New York Times.
At the meeting where he announced his resignation, Boehner also said Congress will take up a new spending bill that would fund the government without including a provision to withhold tax dollars from Planned Parenthood. The new legislation is expected to pass with Democrats and would likely avoid a government shutdown.
“The Speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution," a Boehner aide told MSNBC. "He is proud of what this majority has accomplished, and his Speakership, but for the good of the Republican Conference and the institution, he will resign the Speakership and his seat in Congress, effective October 30."
Boehner allies told BuzzFeed News Friday had been a very emotional morning for all of them, saying they were stunned by the announcement.
Speculation about Boehner's successor began immediately after he announced his resignation. Speaking at the Capitol, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin told BuzzFeed News he will not seek the speakership, and that he assumes Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy will replace Boehner.
Candidates for the Republican nomination for president began staking out their positions on the resignation on Friday. Cruz told the Washington Post that he had "long called on Republican leadership to do something unusual, which is lead."
Sen. Marco Rubio, who is also seeking the Republican nomination for president, received a standing ovation when he reacted to the announcement at the Value Voters Summit.
"Just a few minutes ago, Speaker Boehner announced that he will be resigning," Rubio said at the summit. "With all due respect to people that serve in government, it is important at this moment, with respect to him and the service that he’s provided to our country, its not about him or anybody else. And I’m not here today to bash anyone. But the time has come to turn the page. The time has come to turn the page and allow a new generation of leadership in this country. And that extends to the White House and the presidency as well."
Boehner has represented the 8th district of Ohio since 1991. His tenure was marked by a government shutdown in Sep. 2013, when Congress failed to pass a funding bill due to disagreements over the Affordable Care Act.
Win Mcnamee / Getty Images
LINK: House Passes Symbolic Bill To Defund Planned Parenthood — Conservatives Say It’s Not Enough
This is a developing story. Check back here and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter for updates.
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