U.S. House leadership chaos may upend congressional visit from down under

The Republican failure to pick a new House speaker that has handcuffed the U.S. Congress is spilling over into the diplomatic arena, potentially taking the gloss off a state visit next week by the leader of Australia, a key U.S. ally. Many members of Congress want Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to be accorded the honor of addressing a joint meeting of the House of Representatives and Senate when he visits Washington, but without a House leader, he cannot come because there is no one to invite him. Australia is longtime U.S. ally seen as particularly important in efforts to push back against China's growing might, and Michael McCaul, Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, lamented the chaos.