Paul Ryan is all but guaranteed to become the 62nd Speaker of the House next week, filling the vacuum left by John Boehner’s abdication and the failure of his heir apparent, Kevin McCarthy, to garner the full support of the Republican conference.

The Ways & Means chair and 2012 vice presidential nominee comes in as a unifying force for the fractured GOP. And the conditions he placed on the acceptance of the job will empower him to better lead House Republicans, fixing many of the challenges Boehner faced.

But Ryan’s honeymoon will be short. He faces short-term and long-term challenges in governing and legislating. Here are Ryan’s four biggest challenges, ranking by immediacy.