Between a razor-thin vote to reelect Nancy Pelosi as speaker, the worst security breach at the Capitol since 1812 and a 4 AM ascertainment of Joe Biden's victory with 138 House Republicans objecting to certified results, it's been easy to forget the 117th Congress still has other national crises to address beyond January 20.

If there was any upside for Biden in the recorded votes on GOP objections to electors in Arizona and Pennsylvania, it was to clarify the 64 GOP members — including "Problem Solvers" caucus members like Rep. Tom Reed (NY-23) and a handful of freshmen like Rep. Peter Meijer (MI-03) — with whom the new administration might be able to work.

But for the most part, Biden and Pelosi will need to rely on narrow Democratic majorities to pass major bills. And ultimately, having breathing room to do that will involve filling vacancies of three Democratic members expected to join the administration shortly: Reps. Cedric Richmond (LA-02), Deb Haaland (NM-01) and Marcia Fudge (OH-11).

Those three resignations are expected to bring Democrats' numbers temporarily from 222

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