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Congresswoman Victoria Spartz, an Indiana Republican, issued an ultimatum to her colleagues on Monday, saying she “will not sit on committees or participate in the caucus” until she sees the GOP leadership “govern.”

Spartz lit up in her post

Why it matters

Republicans hold a razor-thin lead over Democrats in the House and any uncertainty could divert crucial votes from the GOP and House Speaker Mike Johnson in the coming session. Newsweek contacted Johnson’s office via email and telephone and Spartz’s office via an online form on Monday evening.

Spartz also considered retiring this year but changed course, saying in part: “The country is in too much trouble.” Spartz is the first Ukrainian representative in Congress and has been a critic of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

What you should know

In a previous post on

Spartz said: “I fully support the two-tiered approach of the @freedomcaucus and @realDonaldTrump team. We need time to implement major fiscal policy reforms with appropriate compensation measures. I will NOT vote for a hasty bribe fund that some in @HouseGOP would like to push.” ​​Soothe the swamp. We were elected to govern!”

What people say

Kevin RC Gutzman, professor of history at Western Connecticut State University: “Translation: You’re skipping a member’s most important job, which is attending committee meetings.”

Benjy Sarlin, Washington office director at Semafor, said on X: “Mike Johnson with a one-vote lead and Victoria Spartz in the House of Representatives is just a great comedic performance.”

According to Politico, which cited sources familiar with the matter, some Republicans are pleased with her decision to boycott the conference meetings “since some had privately complained that she talked too much during internal GOP meetings.”

What happens next

Members of Congress receive their committee assignments at the beginning of each new Congress, usually in January of odd-numbered years. Party steering committees recommend allocations based on factors such as seniority, expertise and policy considerations, which are then approved by the entire party and formally voted on in the House or Senate. Leadership plays a key role in assigning members to influential committees, and changes may occur in the medium term due to resignations, layoffs or other vacancies.

Update 12/16/24 8:28 PM ET: This article has been updated with additional information.