By Scott Wong, Sahil Kapur and Julie Tsirkin - NBC News
The House remained leaderless Monday as Republicans continued an internal fight over who will succeed ousted Kevin McCarthy.
But a new pressure has been pressing since this weekend: the attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel, a close ally of the United States, which unleashed a violent war with dozens of hostages, some of them Hispanics.
The unprecedented escalation of the conflict adds urgency to an already difficult week for the divided House Republican Party, whose members are trying to agree on who should succeed McCarthy after ousting him last week.
The Hamas attack has left more than 700 people dead in Israel, including at least nine Americans. Israel declared war on Hamas and responded with attacks in the Gaza Strip that have killed hundreds more.
When is a vote to replace McCarthy expected?
Members of the lower house are scheduled to return Tuesday afternoon. Since it is not a president, the House is paralyzed and cannot approve emergency military aid for Israel.
In addition, Congress must pass a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown in mid-November.
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And while the acting president, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., participated in a conference call on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Sunday night, it's unclear whether he'll be able to receive classified briefings on Capitol Hill this week. (President Joe Biden would have to grant McHenry that authority.)
Given the leadership vacuum in the House at this crucial time, McCarthy, who remains a member of Congress, is taking on some functions from his old job.
McCarthy was scheduled to address reporters Monday at 11 a.m. ET outside the House speaker's office. He has already accused Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and other opponents of undermining U.S. and Israeli national security.
"There's nothing the House can do until they elect a speaker, and I don't know if that's going to happen quickly," McCarthy said over the weekend on Fox News.
The outbreak of war in Israel has prompted some Republicans to call for McCarthy to be reinstated as president so the House can function.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol, May 27, 2023. KEVIN LAMARQUE / REUTERS
"Removing [McCarthy] from office, mid-term, was idiotic. To do so while Israel faces an all-out attack is dangerous. Uncertainty and chaos in the United States create vulnerability around the world. The House should immediately reinstate McCarthy and stop nonsense," Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who opposed impeachment, wrote on social media.
It will be an arduous task for a divided and narrow majority. Republicans need 217 of their 221 members to agree on a new president, as they don't expect any Democratic support. It is unclear when the vote to elect him will be held.
Two major candidates have entered the race: Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, majority leader and number two Republicans, and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a right-wing arsonist and key ally of Donald Trump who chairs the Judiciary Committee.
At a news conference Monday, McCarthy refused to endorse Scalise and Jordan, and repeatedly kept the door open to returning as spokesman.
"That is a decision of the conference," he said, adding that he would support his decision. "Unfortunately, the House cannot do anything without a speaker."
[U.S. sends military troops to Mediterranean as show of support for Israel]
He added that if eight members can fire a spokesperson for trying to govern, "no one is going to succeed."
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He referred to those who moved to impeach him as "a few individuals" in the caucus "who love a House more than they love the American people."
The Senate, meanwhile, is out of session this week. But Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that in light of the attack on Israel, they will "try to hold a classified briefing that they can receive in their states as soon as possible so that we can get additional details."
In a statement Sunday night, Schumer said he urged the Biden administration and the Defense Department "to ensure that Israel has everything it needs to protect itself, and reiterated that the Senate stands ready to meet the additional needs."