Congress Continues to Wait, for a New House Speaker to Be Named.<br />Associated Press reports that Republican <br />debate over who will be the next Speaker <br />of the House has stalled the 118th Congress. .<br />After several votes, Kevin McCarthy hasn't been able to secure the position.<br />Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are growing restless, demanding that if he can't garner enough votes, he should step aside and stop wasting time.<br />Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are growing restless, demanding that if he can't garner enough votes, he should step aside and stop wasting time.<br />Without a speaker, no member of the House <br />of Representatives can be officially sworn in, <br />meaning the Congress can't convene or vote on rules. .<br />At the same time, no committees <br />can be formed and legislation <br />cannot be passed.<br />According to AP, a resolution to the standstill <br />seemed distant as members of the House <br />appeared unable to proceed on December 4.<br />I don’t know what my status is. I don’t know <br />if I have health care, I don’t know if my staff <br />get paid. We’re looking at all of that now <br />because this hasn’t happened for 100 years, Ted Lieu, Democratic Representative <br />of California, via Associated Press.<br />It is the first time in 100 years that <br />members of the House were not signed in <br />on the first day of a new Congress.<br />In 1923, it took three days to complete <br />the process of choosing a new speaker. .<br />In 1855, the process was <br />dragged out over two months. .<br />It’s a very strange limbo. <br />We are operating by precedent, Madeleine Dean, Democratic Representative of Pennsylvania, via Associated Press.<br />We have no exit strategy, Ralph Norman, Republican Representative of <br />South Carolina, via Associated Press
