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Kevin McCarthy did not get the votes to become Speaker. If there were defectors, the Californian could only allow a maximum of four. After three rounds of voting, a total of 20 Republicans opposed his nomination, removing him from the gavel indefinitely. While Congress is in meeting after meeting behind closed doors to unblock the election, the lower house is at a standstill.
When it is time to inaugurate a new Congress, the procedure is as follows: the elected representatives go to the chamber, the roll call begins to elect the Speaker, the vote is taken, the representatives are sworn in and get to work. As is well known, the process stalled precisely where it had not stalled since 1923.
In the absence of a Speaker, elected members of Congress cannot yet be sworn in, which directly stops the gears that make the House of Representatives work. In an ideal scenario, each new Congress must pass a new set of rules for its body. However, without a Speaker to oversee the adoption of said rules, technically none exist. In other words, you can’t start a construction site without the master builder.
Although this seems like something that only hurts the 435 congressmen involved, it turns out that it covers another group of people as well. As POLITICO reported, if the rules are not approved by January 13, House committees will not be able to pay staff.
“Committees should be aware that if a House Rules package is not adopted by the end of business on January 13, no committee will be able to process payroll as committee authority for the new Congress has not yet been confirmed,” reads a memo sent to House committees.
The uncertainty surrounding who will sit at Biden’s right hand in the State of the Union only hinders the smooth functioning of the House and delays the start of the legislative calendar. Until a Speaker is elected, members of Congress will not be able to meet, and staff salaries are also dependent on the Speaker’s choice.
As for the committees, until a new leadership is elected, they will be headed by the most senior Republican on the corresponding committee, provided he was a member of the committee in the last Congress.
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]