House Speaker John Boehner To Resign From Congress

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner will step down from Congress at the end of October, CBS News' Nancy Cordes confirms.

Friday, September 25th 2015, 9:55 am

By: News On 6


U.S. House Speaker John Boehner will step down from Congress at the end of October, CBS News' Nancy Cordes confirms.

The Republican leader has come under fire from conservatives in the House GOP conference over whether or not to risk shutting down the government over Planned Parenthood funding.

"The Speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution," an aide for Boehner told CBS.
 "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."

According to the aide, Boehner was ready to retire at the end of last year, but the unexpected loss of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor -- who was ousted from office in the 2016 GOP primary for his Virginia seat -- changed Boehner's plans.

Boehner has represented Ohio's 8th district since 1991. He served as House Majority Leader from 2006 to 2007. In 2010, when Republicans won control of the House with a wave of tea party support, he was unanimously elected speaker. He has, however, struggled to unify the increasingly conservative Republican caucus in the House.

The conservative group Heritage Action for America called Boehner's departure a "sign that the voice of the American people is breaking through in Washington."

"Americans deserve a Congress that fights for opportunity for all and favoritism to none. Too often, Speaker Boehner has stood in the way," Heritage Action CEO Michael Needham said in a statement.

Boehner will appear live on CBS' "Face the Nation" this Sunday.

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