House Speaker John Boehner to resign

House Speaker John Boehner will resign from Congress by the end of next month, according to reports this morning.

Rep. John Mica of Florida told Bloomberg the news this morning. The New York Times also reported that Boehner will resign, citing aides in his office.

“The Speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution,” a Boehner aide told Politico. “He is proud of what this majority has accomplished, and his speakership, but for the good of the Republican Conference and the institution, he will resign the Speakership and his seat in Congress, effective October 30.”

Boehner has been Speaker of the House since 2011, when the Republicans took the majority from Democrats. The Ohio Republican had been under increased pressure as of late because of the Planned Parenthood issue. Republicans have been pushing for the organization to be defunded in a bill that would avoid a government shut down.

Boehner has been in Congress since 1990, representing Ohio’s eighth district. He dreamed for years to host the Pope in Congress and accomplished that on Thursday when Pope Francis spoke before a joint session of Congress.

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