Newsroom

October 29, 2015

Berger: Ryan, new House speaker, is a friend to CUs

Rep. Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., was sworn in Thursday as Speaker of the House, after being elected with a 236-vote majority. NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger hailed the vote, calling Ryan a friend to the credit union industry.

Ryan was chosen by House Republicans as their nominee for House speaker in a closed-door election Wednesday. Former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is set to resign today.

"NAFCU congratulates Representative Ryan on his election as House Speaker," said Berger. "Speaker Ryan has been a friend of credit unions and has had a strong relationship with the credit union community during his time in Congress. We look forward to working with him in this new role as House Speaker."

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., got 184 votes from Democratic lawmakers, and nine Republicans voted for Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla. Three votes were cast for other candidates: Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., Colin Powell, and Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn.

Ryan, after his election, resigned his role as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. House Republicans must now fill the vacated chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee.