New Congress live updates: What's next after Kevin McCarthy's speakership win

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., introduced Kevin McCarthy on the House floor as the GOP nominee for speaker.

Stefanik, a McCarthy ally, touted the Californian's efforts to bolster House Republicans' ranks by campaigning for diverse candidates from coast to coast.

"Since the day Kevin was elected as our leader, House Republicans have only gained seats and won," she said. "Kevin knows what we stand for, he knows when to engage in the fight, and he knows how to build consensus."

"His relentless effort has yielded an extraordinary House Republican majority," she added. "Today's House Republican Conference is the most diverse Republican conference in our nation's history."

And while her speech was mostly focused on building up McCarthy, Stefanik also offered a dig at his detractors, boasting that "Kevin McCarthy has earned this speakership of the 'People's House.'"

Ahead of the vote for speaker, the magnetometers placed outside the doors of the House chamber in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol have been removed, as the new GOP majority demanded.

The GOP’s new proposed House rules had called for removing the magnetometers.

-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders, Will Steakin, and Nicole Moeder

As House Republicans enter the 118th Congress in disarray over who will hold the speaker’s gavel, the Democrat-controlled Senate opened with Vice President Kamala Harris swearing in new members and those who won reelection in November.

Among the new faces in the chamber are Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, Alabama’s Katie Britt and Missouri’s Eric Schmitt.

Arizona’s Mark Kelly and Georgia’s Raphael Warnock were sworn in for their first full, six-year terms.

Despite losing majority control in the House, Democrats expanded their advantage in the Senate by one seat.

After House Chaplain Margaret Kibben delivered the opening prayer and the full House recited the Pledge of Allegiance, the 118th Congress is officially underway.

The House is now in a quorum call to determine how many members are present on the floor. ABC News expects that number to be 434, after the death of Rep. Donald McEachin, D-Va.

That means Kevin McCarthy will need 218 votes on the House floor to win the speaker's gavel, assuming all members are present and voting.

After establishing a quorum, the speaker election will begin with the nomination of members and nominating speeches.

The vote for speaker -- a voice roll call vote -- is on track to begin closer to the end of the hour.

If McCarthy fails to get 218 votes, the House can move to recess before holding a second vote on electing a speaker.

-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel