Rep. Steve King Says House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy Would “Advocate” To Get Him Reinstated To Committees

On Monday, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), whose racist remarks caused him to be stripped from his two congressional committee assignments last year, said that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) has agreed to “advocate” for his reinstatement. 

“On April 20, Kevin McCarthy and I reached an agreement that he would advocate to the (Republican) Steering Committee to put all of my committees back, all of my seniority,” King said at a candidate forum, according to the Sioux City Journal.

Sources close to McCarthy said that McCarthy only agreed to let King pitch the idea to the Republican Steering Committee, which decides on the lawmakers committee assignments, at some point.

“When Congress comes back into session, when the steering committee can [come] together, I have Kevin McCarthy’s word that will be my time for exoneration,” King said.

In January 2019, House Republican leaders removed King from the Judiciary and Agriculture Committees after he defended white supremacy in an interview with The New York Times.

The sources also said that McCarthy would not remove any lawmaker from a panel to give King a seat and that the potential committee hearing would not take place during this year’s session. 

“We will not be seating Steve King on any committees in the 116th Congress,” McCarthy told reporters last year.

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