The U.S. House of Representatives Republicans' leadership fight dragged into a 23rd day on Wednesday, with the narrow majority trying to unite around Representative Mike Johnson after ousting their leader and blocking three potential replacements. The long standoff, started by a handful of party hardliners angry about a bipartisan deal that averted a partial government shutdown, has left the chamber unable to respond to the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, or to take action to keep federal agencies funded past Nov. 17. For more on the implications of the U.S. federal budget, VOA's Vincent Makori spoke to VOA's Jackson Mvunganyi outside the U.S. Capital.