"Now why would I, as a conservative, an Army Ranger business guy, the first guy the House Freedom Caucus backed in a Congressional race – why would I nominate Kevin McCarthy to become the next Speaker of the House? Why would Jim Jordan? Why would other conservatives like Thomas Massie, Jim Banks, Kevin Hern, and other also support Kevin McCarthy?

Something in our nature as humans causes us to dehumanize others as we engage in conflict. Dehumanizing others makes it easier to ascribe bad motives and engage in the fight, but it also makes it harder to understand one another.

As actions push further disagreement, arguments tend to escalate rather than resolve. We are on the precipice of such a destructive argument today. I plead with all my Republican colleagues: let cooler, more rational heads prevail. Let us unite as Republicans to elect the next Speaker of the House.

Unlike Democrats, nearly every Republican at least campaigns on some form of smaller, more accountable government. Once we get here, the bipartisan consensus keeps growing a bigger, less accountable government. The American people know the status quo is broken – that we’ve become less free, less safe, and more burdened by debt. The American people are sick of it and they keep sending reinforcements – reinforcements that today provide our narrow majority.

But a majority is only a majority if we actually work together. Now, lots of people back home don’t trust anyone in this town. Perhaps we would be wise to listen to them – and some wisdom from Ronald Reagan: Trust, but verify.

Trust is a fragile condition, and easily broken. As I’ve listened to my friends, 20 of whom have opposed Kevin for Speaker of the House, the root issue is this: they do not trust Kevin McCarthy. What can heal that divide?

Well, right now there are a lot of colleagues that don’t trust 20 or more of my fellow Republicans.

Right now, though we remain divided, a majority of House Freedom Caucus members support Kevin McCarthy. This summer, a unified House Freedom Caucus started the negotiations with a proposal for new rules – a different way to govern that empowers committees and regular members. We proposed that a set of tools could be structured to make trust more verifiable and allow recourse if that trust is ever broken.

Following the election, Kevin McCarthy engaged in that negotiation. He led the Conference to adopt substantive reforms that will make our majority more effective. Let me list some of them:

Andrew Clyde’s proposal to restore public access to the Capitol

• Lauren Boebert’s proposal to reduce the linkage between the NRCC and the Steering Committee process
• Gary Palmer’s proposal to cap spending on suspension bills.
• Ralph Norman’s proposal to limit leadership reports and make conference more about engaging all members.
• Chip Roy’s proposal to provide a 5-day notice for suspension votes.
• Dan Bishop’s proposal in privileged resolutions.
• Scott Perry’s proposal for additional Conference Meetings ahead of key votes.
• Bob Good’s proposal on standalone appropriations bills.
• Andy Bigg’s proposal limiting suspension waivers from committees.
• Chip Roy’s proposal to make cosponsored amendments in order.A firm 72-hour publication of bills before calling for a recorded vote.
• An end to proxy voting.
• An end to remote participation in committee work by members of Congress.
• The Holman Rule.
• An end to the Gephardt Rule.
• Cut-Go instead of Pay-Go.
• An end to en bloc suspension votes.
• A major reform worked out with Morgan Griffin (what we hope to gall the Griffin rule) on single-subject bills subject to germaneness, points of order, and amendment.
• Diverse viewpoints on all committees.

Lastly, a Church-style commission added to the Judiciary Committee focused on abuses where our own big government has unjustly collaborated with big business and big tech to silence, persecute, or even prosecute our fellow citizens – in clear contravention of the Bill of Rights. As Thomas Massie pointed out: “Elon Musk bought a crime scene.” Now that we know, and the public knows, the question is: What in the hell are we going to do about it? This select committee answers that question – with oversight and leadership by the most effective member we have: my friend and colleague, the future Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Jim Jordan.

We are a big diverse conference. The real question goes back to strategy. Can we accept incremental progress? Can we work for a victory one first down at a time? Or can we only accept the high-risk trick plays? Can we set about the hard work of winning the debates with our colleagues – as we have done on many issues? Can we take a win every now and then to give hope to the forgotten men and women of America who no longer believe this place – this people’s House – cares about them?

Or, having achieved nearly every concession we’ve asked for, including a privileged motion to vacate the chair, does it really boil down to this: 20 or more of my Republican colleagues will never trust Kevin McCarthy as Speaker.

I feel at this time, we risk a worse outcome if we cannot unite behind the man who has helped us achieve these substantive reforms. Reforms that offer all of us (this whole body) hope for change to the broken status quo. Reforms our voters demand and reforms we have worked hard together to achieve. Finally, reforms that we risk forfeiting if we do not work together as Republicans to elect the next Speaker of the House.

Now is the time for Deeds Not Words and I nominate Kevin McCarthy for Speaker of the House. I humbly ask for your support."