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

WASHINGTON — As Republicans continue to 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 them can be sworn in, and the 118th Congress can't convene or vote on any rules. Parliamentary procedure has been jettisoned in favor of controlled chaos. Members of both parties are unsure whether they can call votes or make motions on the floor because there is no speaker to rule on their requests. Committees can't be formed and legislation can't be passed.

"I don't know what my status is," said Democrat Ted Lieu of California. "I don't know if I have health care, I don't know if my staff get paid. We're looking at all of that now because this hasn't happened for 100 years."

https://www.startribune.com/us-house-has-no-members-no-rules-as-speaker-race-drags-on/600240822/