US House has no members, no rules as speaker race drags on

By MARY CLARE JALONICK
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Republicans squabble over who will be the next speaker, there are essentially no members in the U.S. House of Representatives — only members-elect. Without a speaker, none of the members can be sworn in, and the 118th Congress can’t convene or vote on any rules. The rule-less, member-less House may only be a blip in history if Republicans are able to find a way forward this week and elect a new speaker. While that remains a strong possibility, it could also be a distant reality as Republican Kevin McCarthy of California failed to win the gavel in two days of voting.