House Speaker John Boehner will resign from his speakership and from office Oct. 30, “for the good of the Republican Conference and the institution,” his aides said Friday.
Boehner shocked the Republican caucus when he announced his decision early Friday morning in a closed-door meeting, just a day after Pope Francis addressed a joint meeting of Congress, reported the Associated Press.
He was under intense pressure to defund Planned Parenthood from the House Freedom Caucus and other Republicans as a funding deadline looms, and some had threatened to oust him.
“Speaker Boehner believes that the first job of any Speaker is to protect this institution and, as we saw yesterday with the Holy Father, it is the one thing that unites and inspires us all, is aide said in a statement Friday.
Boehner had planned to resign last year, but changed his mind when former Leader Eric Cantor lost in the primary, the statement added. “The Speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution.”
“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.”
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is technically next in line to succeed Boehner.
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