The government has another shutdown looming in less than a month, and averting it was already going to be a big hurdle without House Republicans in such disarray.
The United States can’t come to the defense of one of its closest allies, Israel, nor Ukraine, because the House can’t pass legislation withoutpeaker and thus can’t approve financial aid.
With each passing day, Republicans look to the world as if they can’t govern. “People looking for a perfect system should not be looking at the U.S. House right now,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.).
"McHenry’s authority is determined by House Rule I, Clause 8(b)(3), which was put in place in 2003 and which reads, in part:
“In the case of a vacancy in the Office of Speaker, the next Member on the list described in subdivision ( shall act as Speaker pro tempore until the election of a Speaker or a Speaker pro tempore. Pending such election the Member acting as Speaker pro tempore may exercise such authorities of the Office of Speaker as may be necessary and appropriate to that end.”
McHenry, R-N.C., assumed the gavel under an unprecedented process after former speaker Kevin McCarthy lost the speakership, has been operating under the view that the job is limited to overseeing the process of finding a new speaker. But because McCarthy’s removal never happened before, there’s debate about what happens next.
Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., told reporters one option could be the House voting to empower the speaker pro tempore.
“There’s not a playbook here,” Womack said. “We’ve not been down this particular road. So we’re going to be testing some of the legal authorities of the speaker pro tem if we go in that direction.”
it's unclear and vague ......AS i SAID hot mess.....
shall act as Speaker pro tempore until the election of a Speaker or a Speaker pro tempore. Pending such election the Member acting as Speaker pro tempore may exercise such authorities of the Office of Speaker as may be necessary and appropriate to that end.” 
