The White House is eager to portray itself as focused on issues important to voters while House Republicans fight over their leadership.
Biden said the delay in picking a speaker - a post second in the line of presidential succession - could cause U.S. allies and enemies to doubt the recovery of American democracy from turmoil surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by supporters of Republican former President Donald Trump who sought to block congressional certification of Biden's election.
Tuesday marked the first time in 100 years that the House failed to elect a speaker on its first day in session.
"How do you think this looks to the rest of the world?" Biden asked on Wednesday (January 4). "We're finally coming out of - the first time we're getting through the whole issue relating to January 6."
