UPDATE 11:30 p.m.: After the vote late Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-NH, said: “Tonight I joined 223 of my colleagues in supporting a bipartisan resolution urging Vice President Pence to initiate the process outlined in the 25th Amendment and assume power as Acting President for the remainder of President Trump’s term. By inciting the deadly mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol, leading to the deaths of two US. Capitol Police officers, President Trump has demonstrated that he is unable to responsibly discharge the duties of his office.”
U.S. Rep. Ann Kuster, D-NH, said: “The President has shown time and again that he is either unable or unwilling to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States or the American people. Every day he remains in office, our country and our citizens are at risk. I support this House Resolution which calls on Vice President Pence to convene the Cabinet and invoke the 25th Amendment to ensure that the final days of this Administration are peaceful and free of bloodshed.”
UPDATE 9 p.m.: As the House continued voting on the resolution calling on the Vice President to use his powers to take over the duties of the President under the 25th Amendment Tuesday night, USA Today reported the following: “Vice President Mike Pence informed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter late Tuesday that he will not invoke the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office.” “I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our Nation or consistent with our Constitution,” Pence wrote in a letter to a speaker.
UPDATE 8:30 p.m. Tuesday: House votes 219 to 206 along party lines to take a roll call vote on the resolution for Vice President Mike Pence to “immediately use his powers under section 4 of the 25th Amendment to convene and mobilize the principal officers of the executive departments in the Cabinet to declare what is obvious to a horrified nation. That the President is unable to successfully discharge the duties of his office.“
UPDATE: At the conclusion of debate on H. Res. 38, shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday, the Chair put the question on ordering the previous question and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Republican Congressman Tom Cole from Oklahoma demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until later in the legislative day. The Speaker announced the House in recess. At 7:32 p.m. the House reconvened for a roll call vote on moving the questions and is continuing.
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives is taking up a resolution Tuesday evening that calls for President Donald Trump to be removed from office under the 25th Amendment.
The resolution calls on Vice President Mike Pence to “immediately use his powers under section 4 of the 25th Amendment to convene and mobilize the principal officers of the executive departments in the Cabinet to declare what is obvious to a horrified nation: That the President is unable to successfully discharge the duties of his office.” And for Pence to take over Trump’s duties immediately.
The House is expected to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday. NHPR reported it will have live coverage Tuesday. https://www.nhpr.org/#stream/0
The resolution was brought forward by U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland.
Gov. Chris Sununu didn’t respond to InDepthNH.org Tuesday when asked whether he supported the resolution or whether he backs the impeachment of the president.
The Democratic party in New Hampshire has been critical claiming Sununu is ducking the question when Republican Governors Charlie Baker, Phil Scott, and Larry Hogan have called for Trump’s removal from office.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement on Monday:
“On Wednesday, the President incited a deadly insurrection against America that targeted the very heart of our Democracy. The President represents an imminent threat to our Constitution, our Country and the American people, and he must be removed from office immediately.
“Today, in pro forma session, Leader Hoyer introduced a Unanimous Consent request to take up legislation by Congressman Jamie Raskin calling on the Vice President to mobilize the Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment to remove the President.
“The House Republicans rejected this legislation to protect America, enabling the President’s unhinged, unstable and deranged acts of sedition to continue. Their complicity endangers America, erodes our Democracy, and it must end.
“The House will next take up the Raskin legislation in regular order to call upon the Vice President to activate the 25th Amendment to remove the President. We are further calling on the Vice President to respond within 24 hours after passage.
“As our next step, we will move forward with bringing impeachment legislation to the Floor. The President’s threat to America is urgent, and so too will be our action.”