Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee has officially resigned from Congress, reducing the Republican majority in the House by one. His resignation comes after the passage of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Speaker Mike Johnson announced Green’s departure on Monday, stating that the House now has 431 members, with the party breakdown being 219 Republicans and 212 Democrats. There are also three vacant seats due to recent deaths of Democratic members, and special elections will be held to fill those positions soon.
Green, who has served in the House since 2018, was the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. He played a significant role in passing a major border security bill and was involved in impeachment efforts against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. Despite being re-elected just last November by a substantial margin, Green decided to step down after receiving an enticing job offer in the private sector.
In his statement, Green expressed his initial intention to retire at the end of the previous Congress but chose to stay on to support President Trump’s border security initiatives. He oversaw the border security aspects of the reconciliation package, which he felt was crucial before leaving.
With Green’s exit, a special election will be held to find a replacement for his seat representing Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. Several candidates from both parties have already expressed interest in running for the position. Green has endorsed Matt Van Epps, an Army veteran and former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, as his preferred successor.
In related news, the House GOP Steering Committee is set to meet soon to choose a new chair for the Homeland Security panel. Among the candidates for this important position are Representatives Clay Higgins, Andrew Garbarino, Carlos Gimenez, and Michael Guest.