UPDATE, 1:15 p.m. ET: Boehner formally announced his resignation during a teary press conference on Friday, Sept. 25. Pulling out tissues, the oftentimes-emotional House Speaker told reporters his decision "isn't about me," but was intended to preserve Congress.
"It had become clear to me that the prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable harm to the institution," Boehner said of his resignation after 13 terms in office.
Boehner: "I woke up, and I said my prayers … And I decided: 'You know, today's the day I'm going to do this.'" http://t.co/XLcpAXWJbE
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 25, 2015
ORIGINAL STORY: He's peacing out. House Speaker John Boehner will resign from the Speakership and from Congress on Oct. 30, the New York Times and other outlets reported on Friday, Sept. 25.
The shocking news was confirmed by Boehner aides to both the Times and to NBC News. "The Speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution," a Boehner aide told NBC on Friday. "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."
According to the network, the longstanding Republican had also informed fellow Congressional members of his decision to resign and step down from his seat at the end of next month. Boehner, the 61st Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has been under massive amounts of pressure from conservatives within his own party.
President Obama called the Speaker "a good man" and a "Patriot" after the news was revealed. "He cares about America," Obama said during a presser, noting their many disagreements. "He has kept his words when he made a commitment, he is somebody who is gracious."
.@POTUS on the resignation of Speaker of the House John Boehner. http://t.co/BgA9I4e8tJ
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 25, 2015
On Thursday, he fulfilled a massive dream of his: to have the Pope address Congress. During the historical event with Pope Francis, the oftentimes emotional Boehner, 65, was captured on live television tearing up and crying.
An aide also told ABC News on Friday: "Speaker Boehner believes that the first job of any Speaker is to protect this institution and, as we saw yesterday with the Holy Father, it is the one thing that unites and inspires us all."
Boehner himself recalled a special moment with the Pope on Friday during his presser. "The Pope puts his arm around me and says 'please pray for me,'" Boehner recalled tearing up again. "Wow."
The tissues are out pic.twitter.com/Mbwr5COl0q
— Mashable GIF (@mashablegif) September 25, 2015
Boehner was first elected to Congress in 1991. Before rising to his post as Speaker of the House in 2011, he held positions including House Committee on Education and Workforce chair. He served as both a minority leader from 2007 to 2011, and majority leader from 2006 to 2007.
