Jordan, an Ohio Republican who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, made the move after failing twice this week in full House votes to secure enough ballots to win the speakership.
McHenry, a North Carolina Republican, was appointed to the position of speaker pro tempore after California GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the speakership post roughly two weeks ago.
The strategy of the House Republican Conference, which controls the chamber, is to put a member in place, then try to have that person preside over legislative matters until a new speaker can be elected.
