Oddbean new post about login | logout Last year's election of McCarthy as Speaker (with ten zillion endless rounds going into the night) was more procedurally urgent than this Speaker election will be. With the new congress, there was no speaker, and the House was basically unable to conduct business until they elected one. But now, mid-term, there's an acting speaker pro tempore (McHenry), and so the House can do other things if it chooses.
Note There seems to be disagreement on the exact meaning of this House rule (https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules118.house.gov/files/documents/Rules%20and%20Resources/118-House-Rules-Clerk.pdf) Some members seem to believe that it means McHenry acts as speaker until a permanent replacement is elected. Others seem to believe that it means he can only run the election. Given the history of the rule (post-9/11 continuity of government), I suspect the parliamentarian will conclude the former interpretation, but there's not yet been a ruling AFAIK. Interesting (yet stupid) times. https://cdn.masto.host/federatesocial/media_attachments/files/111/175/038/397/119/951/original/ebcdcfd873a8a560.png
