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Jan. 5, 2023, 5:44 p.m.

Speaker vote deadlocked amid infighting among House Republicans

Summary

After three days and hundreds of votes cast, the House has still not elected a speaker. There is no sign that Kevin McCarthy has broken his GOP opposition, leaving the Republican party divided and Congress paralyzed. Lisa Desjardins reports on where things stand. For a transcript of this story, click here . Key terms: Speaker of the house: The speaker is elected by the House and usually represents the party with the majority. The speaker has a number of important roles including controlling proceedings for debate and voting, assigning committee roles, and is also second in line for the presidency after the vice-president.

Five Facts

  • Who is Kevin McCarthy, and what role is he being considered for in the House?
  • What is the role of speaker of the House, and how is one chosen?
  • Where and When do speaker elections take place?
  • How is the speaker of the House determined?
  • Why must Congress choose a speaker of the House before they can do anything else?

Focus Questions

What do you think would be the biggest consequence if the House fail to elect a speaker? Media literacy : Where would go to find out more about how the House of Representatives works?

For More

What students can do: Learn more about the House of Representatives works, and how it complements the Senate using this video from iCivics:

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