Timeline of the House Speaker Crisis

Pressure mounts to elect a speaker of the House as the chamber is unable to take action on pressing matters facing the country.

The chair of the Speaker of the House sits empty at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 5, 2023. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

The House of Representatives has been essentially closed since Oct. 3, when 8 Republicans and 208 Democrats voted to vacate the chair.

That action removed Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from office. Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) was appointed by a House rule intended to ensure the continuity of government in case of emergencies.