It’s A Rocky Start To The New U.S. Congress
118th Congress begins with no Speaker named to the House.
With No Leader Named In The House, Work Cannot Begin
January 3, 2023—As U.S. lawmakers opened a new session of Congress today under the slimmest margins of power. Although Republicans won a majority of seats in the House, intraparty conflict is preventing them from establishing control. With slim margins in both chambers, it is likely to be a weak Congress unless the two parties find room for compromise.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R, failed to garner enough votes to become the new Speaker as 19 Republicans rejected him in back-to-back votes. In the first two ballots of the House, McCarthy won only 203 votes. In contrast to Republican infighting, Democrats voted unanimously for their leader Hakeem Jeffries, who received a total of...