No business can proceed without a SOTH - that's why they had to keep voting until McCarthy eventually won back in Jan. because it was the start of a new Congress. House rules changed post 9/11 (2003, if I remember correctly what I read) - the new speaker then submits a secret list of his pro-tem replacements so that House business can proceed in the SOTH absence. House activity CAN be preformed because they DO have a SOTH in pro tem.

No business can proceed without a SOTH - that's why they had to keep voting until McCarthy eventually won back in Jan. because it was the start of a new Congress. House rules changed post 9/11 (2003, rule change, if I remember correctly what I read) - the new speaker then submits a secret list of his pro-tem replacements so that House business can proceed in the SOTH absence. House activity CAN be preformed because they DO have a SOTH in pro tem.