House committee staffers could miss paychecks without a speaker
A memo sent to prospective House committees on Thursday night outlined some of the impact the prolonged speaker fight could have on Capitol Hill if it continues to drag out.
The guidance obtained by ABC News states that if the House hasn’t adopted a rules package, which outlines how the chamber runs, committees' payroll payments and student loan repayments would be impacted.
"Committees need to be aware that should a House Rules package not be adopted by end of business on January 13 payroll will not be processed for any committee staff since the committee’s authority for the new Congress is not yet confirmed," the memo, sent by the House's chief administrative officer, states.
The memo also notes that House employees who are enrolled in a student loan forgiveness program may be impacted: "Committees need to be aware that should a House Rules package not be adopted by end of business on January 13 no committee will be able to process student loan payments since the committee’s authority for the new Congress is not yet confirmed."
The House cannot conduct normal business until a speaker is selected, including adopting rules. Possibly further complicating the timeline, sources tell ABC News that a potential new package currently being worked on will include a mandatory 72-hour review time for bills ahead of any votes, which would include the vote on the rules package.
-ABC News' Katherine Faulders and Will Steakin
