House Republican Calls It Quits Before End of Term

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Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) will retire before his term ends, he announced on Monday evening.

The lawmaker, who won a fourth term in the House of Representatives in November, said he will retire after the passage of President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” a massive spending package that would extend the 2017 tax cuts and slash Medicaid by hundreds of billions of dollars.

Republicans control the lower chamber 220-212 after three septuagenarian Democratic representatives died between March and May, giving the GOP majority slightly more breathing room. The House passed the spending bill in May by a 215-214 vote. It is currently before the Senate, which is expected to pass its own version, after which the House will need to vote on the modified legislation.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement from Congress,” Green said in a statement released by his office.” Recently, I was offered an opportunity in the private sector that was too exciting to pass up. As a result, today I notified the Speaker and the House of Representatives that I will resign from Congress as soon as the House votes once again on the reconciliation package.”

Green did not reveal his imminent private sector employer.

The congressman announced he would retire last year, but he opted to run again. Less than two months before the election, Green’s wife accused him of having an affair.

Politico noted, “Under House rules, members are required to disclose negotiations with a future private employer to the Ethics Committee, and are required to recuse themselves from matters where their future employment would pose a conflict of interest.”

The publication said a spokesperson for the Ethics Committee declined to comment.

Tennessee law requires the state’s governor to call a special election within 10 days of a congressperson leaving office, and the election must be held between 100 and 107 days afterward.