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Gallagher, who chairs the House of Representatives Select
Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, had already said he
would not be running for re-election in November. But his
decision to leave Congress early means the seat will be vacant
for a time before the next election.
The Republicans currently hold a 219-213 House majority.
However, Republican Representative Ken Buck is due to step down
on Friday.
When Gallagher steps down, that will narrow the majority further
to 217-213, meaning that Speaker Mike Johnson can only afford to
lose one vote in order to pass legislation if Democrats remain
united in opposition.
"I've worked closely with House Republican leadership on this
timeline and look forward to seeing Speaker Johnson appoint a
new chair to carry out the important mission of the Select
Committee on the Chinese Communist Party," Gallagher said in a
statement.
The fractious Republican majority has proven difficult to
manage, and Johnson has repeatedly relied on Democrats to pass
critical measures, like a government funding bill approved by
the House on Friday. Anger over that led Republican hardliner
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to threaten to call a vote
to oust Johnson as speaker, six months after the party booted
its prior leader, Kevin McCarthy.
(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Scott Malone)
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