Stefanik’s Confirmation Is on Ice as Republicans Guard Their Scant Majority

The congresswoman from New York is in line to be confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. But first, her colleagues need her vote to pass their embattled budget plan.

Speaker Mike Johnson revealed on Monday why Representative Elise Stefanik of New York has yet to have her confirmation vote to serve as ambassador to the United Nations: He cannot afford to lose another Republican vote in the House.

Mr. Johnson is under pressure this week to hold his fractious conference together to pass a budget resolution, with potentially only a single vote to spare. Ms. Stefanik, a former member of House leadership, is a team player whose support could be crucial, given the difficult math.

“If we get the budget resolution passed this week, which is the plan, then it’s possible that Elise Stefanik would go ahead and move on to her assignment at the U.N. as the ambassador there,” Mr. Johnson said on Monday during a talk at the America First Policy Institute. It was a blunt acknowledgment of the political reality of trying to pass a budget to enact President Trump’s agenda after he raided the House Republican ranks to fill out his administration.

A spokesman for Mr. Johnson said that the timing of Ms. Stefanik’s confirmation was a matter for the White House and the Senate to resolve and that the speaker was supportive of their timeline.

Senate Republican leaders have had plenty of other confirmation votes to schedule and have made it clear they are cognizant of the narrow majority in the House that puts added pressure on Ms. Stefanik to stay where she is, for now.

The Senate has been pushing through votes on Mr. Trump’s cabinet nominations at a record pace. So far, 17 cabinet members have been confirmed. Ms. Stefanik is one of just five cabinet nominees who have yet to receive a vote in the Senate.