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Significance

The speaker is the most important officeholder in the legislative branch. Having the role vacant since October 3 -- a result of Republican party in-fighting and the party’s razor-thin majority in the chamber -- has underlined the importance of the speakership to the functioning of the federal government, including the fact that all revenue bills must originate in the House.

Impacts

The new speaker will be second in line to the presidency after Vice President Kamala Harris.

An immediate task for the new speaker is deciding how to handle the White House’s bundled request for aid to Ukraine and Israel.

Some Freedom Caucus members may prolong the process on the grounds that an inactive government is saving taxpayers money.

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