Without a speaker, the House cannot conduct business. Amodei worries that the delay will make it harder to pass his Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act and other Silver State lands bills.
He said he will be pressing speaker candidates on their support for the bills.
“We’ve been working very hard to keep those Nevada lands bills, which affect the whole state, north, south, east, west, on track to be on the floor, to be voted on, before the end of the year,” Amodei said. “Because next year is a presidential year and Congress has Attention Deficit Disorder all the time anyhow, but in a presidential election it’s awful.”
He also said a lengthy delay would squeeze the next round of government spending negotiations. Congress must strike a deal on the budget by November 17 to avoid a partial government shutdown.
As for the next Speaker, Amodei said current Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana has an edge on House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio, but declined to endorse a candidate.
Jose Davila IV is a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.