The congressional joint session to count electoral votes is generally a routine, ceremonial affair. But President Donald Trump's repeated efforts to challenge Democrat Joe Biden's victory will bring more attention than usual to next Wednesday's joint session of the Senate and the House.   The congressional count is the final step in reaffirming Biden's win, after the Electoral College officially elected him on Dec 14. The meeting is required by the Constitution and includes several distinct steps.     Some Republicans who are echoing Trump's baseless claims of fraud have said they will officially object to the results, forcing votes in the Republican-run Senate and the Democratic-controlled House that will almost certainly fail. A group of House Republicans had been looking for a senator to sign on because there must be support from at least one member of each chamber to force the votes. That support came Wednesday from Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a possible contender in the 2024 Republican presidential primary.   Hawley's challenge comes despite a plea from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that Republican senators not join the futile House effort. McConnell told his caucus on a private call earlier this month that it would be a "terrible vote" for Senate Republicans to have to take.    A look at the joint session:    What Happens When Congress Meets in January?     Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open a sealed certificate from each state that contains a record of its electoral votes. The votes are brought into the chamber in mahogany boxes.   Bipartisan representatives of the two chambers read the results out loud and do an official count. The president of the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence, presides over the session and declares the winner.    What Does The Constitution Require?     The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. If there is a tie, then the House decides the presidency, with each congressional delegation having one vote. That hasn't happened since the 1800s, and Biden's electoral win over Trump was decisive, 306-232.    How Does The Session Unfold?     The two chambers meet midday to count the votes. If the vice president cannot preside, there is precedent for the Senate pro-tempore, or the longest-serving senator in the majority party, to lead the session. That's currently Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.     The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The appointed "tellers" from ...