10 things you need to know today: January 7, 2023

Kevin McCarthy elected House speaker following raucous debate proceedings, Tensions boil over between Republicans on House floor as stalemate ends, and more

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy addresses Congress.
(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

1. Kevin McCarthy elected House speaker following raucous debate proceedings

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was elected speaker of the House just past midnight on Saturday morning on the 15th ballot, following a period of raucous and even physically charged debate between the GOP's House majority and a group of Republican holdouts. While the week-long process to elect a speaker seemed to cast doubt on the ability of the GOP to effectively govern in Congress, McCarthy remained optimistic, telling the gathered House members, "Now the hard work begins." The new speaker also pledged to begin investigations into President Biden and the Democrats, promising to issue subpoenas where necessary. However, the historic 14-ballot failure for McCarthy, unseen for over a century, notably puts a shadow over his speakership.

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

 Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.