Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

Overview

The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is a role established by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution. The Speaker is the political and parliamentary leader of the House of Representatives, and is simultaneously the House's presiding officer, de facto leader of the body's majority party, and the institution's administrative head. Speakers also perform various other administrative and procedural functions, and represent their congressional district. The Speaker of the House is second in the United States presidential line of succession, after the Vice President and ahead of the President pro tempore of the Senate.

History

The position of Speaker of the House is as old as the United States Congress itself, being established by the Constitution in 1789. The first Speaker was Frederick Muhlenberg, who was elected to the position on April 1, 1789.

A view of the United States Capitol Building, the meeting place of the U.S. Congress.

Powers and duties

The Speaker of the House has a variety of powers and duties, both legislative and non-legislative. The Speaker's legislative duties include the power to designate the order of business on the House floor, to direct business on the floor to a particular committee, and to decide points of order. Non-legislative duties include the power to administer the oath of office to new members, to make rulings on points of order, and to refer bills to committee.

Election

The Speaker of the House is elected by the members of the House of Representatives, usually on the first day of a new Congress. Typically, each party nominates one candidate for the position, with the majority party usually winning the election. The Speaker is elected by a majority vote of all members of the House, not just those of the majority party.

Role in party leadership

In addition to their role as presiding officer of the House, the Speaker also serves as the de facto leader of their party in the House. They are responsible for ensuring that their party's legislative agenda is advanced through the House, and they often play a key role in shaping that agenda.

List of Speakers

As of 2021, there have been 54 Speakers of the House, with the current Speaker being Nancy Pelosi of California. The longest-serving Speaker was Sam Rayburn of Texas, who served for a total of 17 years, two months, and two days.