As of Thursday morning, there are no sworn-in members of the House of Representatives. Americans currently do not have a representative in the House.
Instead, the U.S. has 434 representatives-elect, and until 218 can agree on a House speaker, the House is not a functioning body.
On Wednesday, incoming members took three additional votes – bringing the total number of votes to six – on who will serve as the body’s speaker. The three votes on Wednesday largely resembled the three votes taken on Tuesday.
Kevin McCarthy, who previously served as minority leader when Democrats held the majority, remained about 16 votes shy of becoming speaker on Wednesday. He must garner support from 218 of his 222-member GOP caucus.
All 212 Democrats banded together to vote for Hakeem Jeffries as their nominee for speaker.
After going on recess late Wednesday afternoon, incoming members returned at 8 p.m. Wednesday. A slim majority decided to put off a seventh round of voting until noon today.
While McCarthy is lobbying members to stick with him, several Republican members have vowed to continue to oppose his nomination.
“It's time for him to hang up the cleats and let the House move forward without him at the helm,” tweeted Rep.-elect Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican.
“For far too long, conservatives left their leverage on the table and let the establishment ignore us and sideline us,” Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican, said. “Real leadership is realizing that consolidating power in one person is unacceptable.”
President Joe Biden said he was frustrated that the House is not functional.
“It's embarrassing for the country,” he said. “I mean, literally. Now, I’m not making a.. it’s just the reality is that, you know, to be able to have a Congress that can't function is just embarrassing. We're the greatest nation in the world. How can that be?”
