Rep. Kevin Kiley on Wednesday was removed from his House committee seats, less than a week after the former Republican announced he would be leaving the party to register as an independent.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told reporters that Kiley’s removal from the committees was “a temporary thing” that happened automatically when he switched parties, adding that Republicans could look into reinstating him at a later date.
Kiley, who was first elected to Congress in 2022 to represent California’s 3rd Congressional District, announced last week that he would be leaving the GOP — but said that he still planned to caucus with the party.
Kiley said last week that the change better reflected “the way that I approach my role here.”
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With the decision, Kiley has become the only independent in the House. The Senate has two registered independents, Sens. Angus King and Bernie Sanders, who both caucus with Democrats.
Kiley on Wednesday said he was confident that he would be reappointed to his previous roles on the House Education, Judiciary and Transportation committees.
“My intention is to continue serving,” Kiley told reporters on the Hill. “[It’s] just the way the rules work, it’s totally expected. And I look forward to being reappointed as an independent.”
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