Rep. Scalise: Priority Is Bipartisan Israel Resolution

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., on Wednesday told reporters his first order of business as House speaker would be passing a bipartisan resolution on support for Israel following the devastating terrorist attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday.

"I'm looking forward to going in there," Scalise said ahead of the Republican conference meeting. "Obviously we have a very important vote. It's really, really important that this Congress get back to work, we select a speaker, go to the House floor, get to 218 and then get the House working again.

"The first order of business under Speaker Steve Scalise is going to be bringing a strong resolution expressing support for Israel," he continued. "We've got a very bipartisan bill — the McCaul-Meeks resolution — ready to go right away to express our support for Israel. We've got to get back to work — today we're going to do that."

Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, are vying for the House speakership after Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the position in a historic vote last week.

Divided over who should serve as the next speaker, House Republicans are reportedly moving forward with a test vote on Wednesday to see who — if anyone — can garner enough support to gain the gavel.

The Guardian reported Wednesday that Scalise or Jordan can only withstand four defections within the Republican conference and still win the speakership if all 433 current House members participate in the vote, given the GOP's razor-thin majority in the lower chamber.

The fractures within the Republican caucus were on full display last week, when eight House Republicans joined with Democrats in voting to remove McCarthy from office. The California Republican became the first House speaker in U.S. history to be ousted from the post.

Despite the outrage of some House Republicans over the group of eight's move, they must now come together to select a new speaker, which would allow them to turn their full attention to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Israel.

Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., was named as acting speaker following the vote to remove McCarthy and he will continue serving in the position until a new leader is chosen.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and the panel's top Democrat, Gregory Meeks, of New York, introduced a resolution on Tuesday expressing support for Israel.

"I expect this bipartisan resolution to be one of the first, if not the first items considered on the floor once we elect a new speaker," McCaul said in a statement. "And I expect it to receive overwhelming bipartisan support."

• Tony Perkins to Newsmax: Hamas Struck When Congress Is 'Paralyzed'
• Rep. Gaetz to Newsmax: Scalise or Jordan Next Speaker