https://www.foxnews.com/politics/117...o-the-pandemic
""The House will eventually vote on a new "rules package" to begin the new Congress which will include a remote voting option. But in the House, you can’t carry over rules from the 116th Congress to the 117th Congress.
That’s why everyone has to show up at noon on January 3.
This poses an interesting, ethical question:
Is it appropriate for members who have tested positive, have been in quarantine or been exposed, be present on January 3?""
""There is no Speaker. Clerk of the House Cheryl Johnson presides. The first order of business is a quorum call to get everyone there – pandemic style.
Under normal circumstances, all 435 House members-elect would crowd into the chamber to vote electronically and record their presence. But during coronavirus, the House will summon members to the chambers in seven groups of about 72 persons. The first tranche starts with Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) and runs through Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX). The seventh and final group stretches from Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) through Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY).
Members are instructed to report to the chamber, record their presence and depart.
The House should start at 433 members and two vacancies: 222 Democrats and 211 Republicans. The vacancies are from New York’s 22nd District and Louisiana’s 5th District. There is still no race call in the contest between current Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-NY) and former Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY). In Louisiana, Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-LA) died from complications related to coronavirus.""
The unfortunate key is that there are only 211 GOP members of the House and you need 217 to elect a Speaker.
""Reps. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Rick Larsen (D-WA) recently tested positive for coronavirus. It’s unclear if they will be healthy enough to appear on opening day. And, it’s unknown if other lawmakers or those elected to the 117th Congress will be present or out.""
So the Dems could be down to 220 Jan 3rd, possibly more, depending on test results; the GOP could be down any number as well but other than the tragic passing of Rep Letlow, I haven't heard of any other GOP House members being diagnosed with the virus.
""You take the field on January 3 with the players you have available. That’s why, in the age of a pandemic,
it’s possible - possible -
that if Democrats don’t have the right numbers, Republicans could - could - actually have the majority.
We always say it’s about the math. It’s about the math. It’s about the math. Well, the math really matters on January 3.
Whichever side has the most members present on January 3 is in the majority.""
As for choosing the House Speaker:
""The successful Speaker candidate secures an outright majority of the entire House. Not the most votes. So, if the House starts at 433 members and everyone is there,
Pelosi needs 217 members vote for her. So if Democrats are at 222 and everyone shows up, the Speaker can only lose five votes.
Pelosi lost 15 votes in the Speaker’s contest in January, 2019.""
Again, Dems are at 222 (220 if the two currently diagnosed with the virus are unable to be there). If Pelosi lost 15 votes last year, and there are more progressives this year, Dems would be down 205-207. However, the GOP still only has 211 votes if they all are present and vote together for a Speaker -- 6 votes short of the 217 needed.
""What if no candidate secures 217 votes? The House keeps voting until it picks a Speaker. A vote for Speaker hasn’t gone to a second ballot since 1923. House Speaker Frederick Gillett (R-MA) finally prevailed on the fourth ballot.
The House burned two months and 133 ballots in 1856 before finally deciding Nathaniel Banks of Massachusetts was fit to be Speaker.""
Would be a strange, but wonderful, thing to have a GOP-controlled House while 211-222 in the minority. And while it wouldn't change the outcome of a contested election, it could certainly add more drama to Jan 6th.
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