Editing Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

{{Short description|Presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives}}
{{for|a list of speakers of the House|List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Speaker
| body = the United States House of Representatives
| insignia = Seal of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives.svg
| insigniasize = 120
| insigniacaption = Seal of the speaker
| image = Nota.png
| incumbent = [[Nota Tentacles]]
| incumbentsince = January 11th, 2025
| acting = n
| department = [[United States House of Representatives]]
| style = {{plainlist|
* Mr. Speaker (informal – male) <!-- no small font in the infobox per [[:MOS:FONTSIZE]] -->
* Madam Speaker (informal – female) <!-- no small font in the infobox per [[:MOS:FONTSIZE]] -->
* [[The Honorable]] (formal) <!-- no small font in the infobox per [[:MOS:FONTSIZE]] -->
}}
| status = [[Speaker (politics)|Presiding officer]]
| seat = [[United States Capitol]], [[Washington, D.C.]]
| nominator = [[Party caucuses and conferences in the United States Congress|Party caucus{{\}}conference]] (primarily)
| appointer = [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
| termlength = At the House's pleasure; elected at the beginning of the new Congress by a majority of the representatives-elect, and upon a vacancy during a Congress.<ref name=HouseHAA>{{cite web|title=Speaker Elections Decided by Multiple Ballots|url=http://history.house.gov/People/Office/Speakers-Multiple-Ballots/|website=history.house.gov|publisher=United States House of Representatives|access-date=January 22, 2019|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327101528/https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Speakers-Multiple-Ballots/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of the United States]], article I, § 2, cl. 5<ref>{{cite web |title=Constitution Annotated |url=https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-2/clause-5/ |website=constitution.congress.gov |publisher=United States Government |access-date=October 25, 2023 |date= March 4, 1789}}</ref>
| formation = {{start date and age|1789|3|4}}
| first = [[Frederick Muhlenberg]]
| succession = [[United States presidential line of succession|Second]] ({{usc|3|19}})<ref name=CRS2005continuity>{{cite web| last=Relyea| first=Harold C.| title=Continuity of Government: Current Federal Arrangements and the Future| work=CRS Report for Congress| url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/RS21089.pdf| publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]], the [[Library of Congress]]| location=Washington, D.C.| pages=2–4| date=August 5, 2005| access-date=January 22, 2019| archive-date=January 14, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194610/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/RS21089.pdf| url-status=live}}</ref>
| salary = $223,500 annually<ref name="Brudnick">{{cite web |title=Congressional Salaries and Allowances |first=Ida A. |last=Brudnick |date=January 4, 2012 |url=http://library.clerk.house.gov/reference-files/112_20120104_Salary.pdf |work=CRS Report for Congress |publisher=United States House of Representatives |access-date=December 2, 2012 |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212140913/http://library.clerk.house.gov/reference-files/112_20120104_Salary.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://www.speaker.gov}}
| footnotes = {{notelist|group=infobox}}
}}
{{United States House of Representatives}}
The '''speaker of the United States House of Representatives''', commonly known as the '''speaker of the House''' or '''House speaker''', is the [[Speaker (politics)|presiding officer]] of the [[United States House of Representatives]]. The office was established in 1789 by [[Article One of the United States Constitution#Section 2: House of Representatives|Article I, Section II]], of the [[U.S. Constitution]].{{efn|"The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers".{{sfn|Rossiter|2003|p=543}}<ref name="CRS Heitshusen 2017 p. 1">{{cite report|last=Heitshusen|first=Valerie|date=May 16, 2017|title=The Speaker of the House: House Officer, Party Leader, and Representative|publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]]|page=1|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/97-780|access-date=October 5, 2023}}</ref>}} By custom and House rules, the speaker is the political and parliamentary leader of the House and is simultaneously its presiding officer, ''[[de facto]]'' [[Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives|leader of the body's majority party]], and the institution's administrative head. Speakers also perform various other administrative and procedural functions. Given these several roles and responsibilities, the speaker usually does not personally preside over debates{{Emdash}}that duty is instead delegated to members of the House from the majority party{{Emdash}}nor regularly participate in floor debates.<ref>{{Cite report |website=GovInfo.Gov |title=Chapter 34: Office of the Speaker |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPRACTICE-108/pdf/GPO-HPRACTICE-108-35.pdf}}</ref>

The Constitution does not explicitly require the speaker to be an [[incumbent]] member of the House of Representatives, although every speaker thus far has been, and as a member the speaker also represents their district and retains the right to vote.<ref name=Valerie>{{cite report |last=Heitshusen |first=Valerie |date=May 16, 2017 |title=The Speaker of the House: House Officer, Party Leader, and Representative |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/97-780.pdf |publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]] |page=2 |access-date=September 20, 2020 |quote=In fact, there is no requirement that the Speaker be a Member of the House. |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194610/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/97-780.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Williams |first=Pete |date=October 9, 2015 |title=Can An Outsider Be Speaker of the House? |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/can-outsider-be-speaker-house-n441926 |access-date=January 4, 2023 |website=NBC News|language=en}}</ref> The speaker is second in the [[United States presidential line of succession]], after the [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]] and ahead of the [[President pro tempore of the United States Senate|president ''pro tempore'' of the Senate]].<ref name=CRS2005continuity/>

== Selection ==
The House elects its speaker at the beginning of a new Congress, {{Linktext|biennially}}, after [[Elections in the United States|a general election]], or when a speaker dies, resigns, or is removed from the position during a congressional term. At the start of a new Congress, those voting to elect the speaker are representatives-elect, as a speaker must be selected before members are sworn in to office; the House of Representatives cannot organize or take other legislative actions until a speaker is elected.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Broadwater |first=Luke |date=January 5, 2023 |title=Lacking a Speaker, One Part of Government Ceases to Function |language=en-US |pages=A1 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/04/us/politics/house-speaker-representatives.html |access-date=January 6, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Since 1839, the House has elected speakers by [[roll call vote]].<ref name=HG125>{{cite web| last=Forte| first=David F.| title=Essays on Article I: Speaker of the House| url=https://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/1/essays/10/speaker-of-the-house| work=Heritage Guide to The Constitution| publisher=Heritage Foundation| access-date=January 11, 2019| archive-date=August 22, 2020| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822232208/https://www.heritage.org/constitution/%23!/amendments/8/essays/161/cruel-and-unusual-punishment#!/articles/1/essays/10/speaker-of-the-house| url-status=live}}</ref> In practice, each [[Party caucuses and conferences in the United States Congress|party's caucus or conference]] selects a candidate for the speakership from among its senior leaders prior to the roll call. To be elected speaker, a candidate must receive a majority of votes from the members present and voting. If no candidate wins a majority, the roll call is repeated until a speaker is elected.<ref name=CRS-RL30857/> Representatives are free to vote for someone other than the candidate nominated by their party but generally do not, as the outcome of the election effectively demonstrates which party has the [[Majority party|majority]] and consequently will organize the House.<ref name=CRS-RL30857>{{cite web| last1=Heitshusen| first1=Valerie| last2=Beth| first2=Richard S.| title=Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913–2019| date=January 4, 2019| work=CRS Report for Congress| url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL30857.pdf| publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]], the [[Library of Congress]]| location=Washington, D.C.| access-date=January 11, 2019| archive-date=January 14, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194614/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL30857.pdf| url-status=live}}</ref>

Representatives who choose to vote for someone other than their party's nominee usually vote for someone else in their party or vote "[[Abstention|present]]", in which case their vote does not count in tallying the vote positively or negatively. Anyone who votes for the other party's candidate could face serious consequences, as was the case when [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[James Traficant]] voted for [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Dennis Hastert]] in 2001 ([[107th Congress]]). In response, the Democrats stripped him of his seniority, and he lost all of his [[United States congressional committee|committee]] posts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/james-a-traficant-jr-colorful-ohio-congressman-expelled-by-house-dies-at-73/2014/09/27/fa98868a-4431-11e4-9a15-137aa0153527_story.html|title=James A. Traficant Jr., colorful Ohio congressman expelled by House, dies at 73|last=Schudel|first=Matt|date=September 27, 2014|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=January 11, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150812054204/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/james-a-traficant-jr-colorful-ohio-congressman-expelled-by-house-dies-at-73/2014/09/27/fa98868a-4431-11e4-9a15-137aa0153527_story.html|archive-date=August 12, 2015|url-access=limited}}</ref>

Upon election, the new speaker is sworn in by the [[dean of the United States House of Representatives]], the chamber's longest-serving member. Additionally, it is customary for the outgoing speaker, or the minority leader, to hand the speaker's [[gavel]] to the new speaker, as a mark of the [[peaceful transition of power]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Fathers/Deans of the House|url=https://history.house.gov/Institution/Seniority/Deans-of-the-House/|website=history.house.gov|publisher=United States House of Representatives|access-date=January 11, 2019|archive-date=January 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112044354/https://history.house.gov/Institution/Seniority/Deans-of-the-House/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://constitution.laws.com/house-of-representatives/election-of-the-speaker| title=Election of the Speaker Overview| website=constitution.laws.com| access-date=January 11, 2019| archive-date=August 27, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827095618/https://constitution.laws.com/house-of-representatives/election-of-the-speaker| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.voanews.com/a/explainer-how-the-house-of-representatives-elects-a-speaker/6907009.html |title= Explainer: How the House of Representatives Elects a Speaker |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=January 6, 2023|website=voanews.com|publisher= Voice of America |access-date=January 9, 2023 }}</ref>

===Eligibility of non-members===
While every speaker of the House has been a sitting House member, [[Article One of the United States Constitution#Clause 5: Speaker and other officers; Impeachment|Article I, Section II, Clause 5, of the U.S. Constitution]], concerning the choosing of a speaker, does not explicitly state House membership as a requirement.{{sfn|Rossiter|2003|p=543}} As noted by the [[Congressional Research Service]], non-members have, on multiple occasions since 1997, received votes in [[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections|speaker elections]].<ref name=Valerie /><ref>{{cite report|last=Heitshusen|first=Valerie|date=May 31, 2023|title=Electing the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Congressional Research Service|page=2|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44243|access-date=October 5, 2023}}</ref> In 1787, while the proposed Constitution was being considered, Pennsylvania [[Congress of the Confederation]] delegate [[Tench Coxe]] publicly wrote the following:

<blockquote>The house of representatives is not, as the Senate, to have a president chosen for them from without their body, but are to elect their speaker from their own number . . . .<ref>''[https://books.google.com/books?id=y8eFAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA144 Pamphlets on the Constitution of the United States: Published During Its Discussion by the People 1787–1788]'', p. 144 ([[Paul Leicester Ford]] ed., 1888).</ref></blockquote>

Noting that the [[Vesting Clause]] of [[Article One of the United States Constitution#Section 1: Legislative power vested in Congress|Article I, Section I]] states that "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives",{{sfn|Rossiter|2003|p=542}} political scientist [[Diana Schaub]] has argued, "Legislative powers cannot be lodged in the hands of a non-legislative person. To do so would violate the fundamental purpose of Article [I] of the Constitution."<ref name="Schaub">{{cite web|last=Schaub|first=Diana|date=October 9, 2015|title=Dysfunction Is No Excuse for Misreading the Constitution|website=Law & Liberty|publisher=Liberty Fund|url=https://lawliberty.org/dysfunction-is-no-excuse-for-misreading-the-constitution/|access-date=October 8, 2023}}</ref> Both Schaub and the CRS note that the [[Procedures of the United States House of Representatives|Standing Rules and Orders of the House]] created by the [[1st United States Congress]] provided that the Speaker would vote "In all cases of ballot by the [H]ouse",<ref name="Schaub" /><ref>{{cite report|last=Heitshusen|first=Valerie|date=May 16, 2017|title=The Speaker of the House: House Officer, Party Leader, and Representative|publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]]|page=8|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/97-780|access-date=October 5, 2023}}</ref> while former [[House Intelligence Committee]] general counsel [[Michael Ellis (attorney)|Michael Ellis]] and attorney Greg Dubinsky have argued that the speaker must be a House member because the Speaker performs various legislative functions that other House officers (such as the [[Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives|Sergeant at Arms]] and the [[Clerk of the United States House of Representatives|Clerk]]) do not perform.<ref name="Ellis & Dubinsky">{{cite news|last1=Ellis|first1=Michael|last2=Dubinsky|first2=Greg|date=October 5, 2023|title=If Trump Wants to Be Speaker, He'll Need a House Seat|work=The Wall Street Journal|publisher=News Corp|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-trump-cant-be-speaker-you-need-a-house-seat-mccarthy-gaetz-marjorie-taylor-green-ad74fcf9|access-date=October 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|last=Heitshusen|first=Valerie|date=May 16, 2017|title=The Speaker of the House: House Officer, Party Leader, and Representative|publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]]|pages=3–4; 7–8|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/97-780|access-date=October 5, 2023}}</ref> 

Schaub and the CRS also note that the text of the [[Presidential Succession Act of 1947]] assumes that the speaker is a House member in requiring the speaker's resignation upon [[United States presidential line of succession|succession to the presidency]] due to the [[Ineligibility Clause]] of [[Article One of the United States Constitution#Section 6: Compensation, privileges, and restrictions on holding civil office|Article I, Section VI]].<ref name="Schaub" /><ref>{{cite report|last=Neale|first=Thomas H.|date=July 14, 2020|title=Presidential Succession: Perspectives and Contemporary Issues for Congress|publisher=Congressional Research Service|page=5|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46450|access-date=July 19, 2023}}</ref> The Ineligibility Clause provides that "No ... Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States... and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of [the] House during his Continuance in Office."{{sfn|Rossiter|2003|p=545}} Along with political scientist Matthew J. Franck,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Franck|first=Matthew J.|date=September 30, 2015|title=Speaker Gingrich? Not Really Constitutional|magazine=National Review|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/speaker-gingrich-not-really-constitutional-matthew-j-franck/|access-date=October 10, 2023}}</ref> Schaub, Ellis, and Dubinsky argue that permitting a Senator or an executive or judicial officer of the federal government to serve as a non-member Speaker would cause a significant breach of the [[Separation of powers under the United States Constitution|constitutional separation of powers]].<ref name="Schaub" /><ref name="Ellis & Dubinsky" />

Schaub, Ellis, and Dubinsky also argue that permitting a non-member to serve as Speaker would effectively exempt Speakers from the eligibility requirements of the [[Article One of the United States Constitution#Clause 2: Qualifications of Members|House Qualifications Clause of Article I, Section II]] and from being bound by an [[oath of office]] under the [[Article Six of the United States Constitution#Oaths|Oath or Affirmation Clause of Article VI]] as opposed to House members.<ref name="Schaub" /><ref name="Ellis & Dubinsky" /> The House Qualifications Clause requires that "No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty-five Years, and been seven Years a [[Citizen of the United States]]".{{sfn|Rossiter|2003|p=543}} The Oath or Affirmation Clause provides that "The ... Representatives before mentioned... and all executive and judicial [[Officer of the United States|Officers ... of the United States]]... shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution".{{sfn|Rossiter|2003|pp=555–556}} Pursuant to Article VI, the 1st United States Congress passed the [[An act to regulate the time and manner of administering certain oaths|Oath Administration Act]] (that remains in effect) which provides that "...the oath or affirmation [required by the sixth article of the Constitution of the United States]… shall be administered ... to the Speaker".<ref>{{USStat|1|23}}, {{USPL|1|1}}, {{USC|2|25}}</ref>

Like the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]'s ruling in ''[[NLRB v. Noel Canning]]'' (2014), Ellis and Dubinsky cite an 1819 letter written by [[James Madison]] to [[List of justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia|Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals]] Judge [[Spencer Roane]] where Madison stated that "difficulties and differences of opinion [arising] in expounding terms [and] phrases ... used [in the Constitution]... might require a regular course of practice to liquidate [and] settle the meaning of some of them."<ref name="Ellis & Dubinsky" /><ref>{{ussc|name=NLRB v. Noel Canning|volume=573|page=513|docket=12-1281|slip=8|year=2014}}</ref> In holding in ''NLRB v. Noel Canning'' that the [[Recess appointment|Recess Appointments Clause of Article II, Section II]] does not authorize the President to make appointments while the Senate is in ''[[pro forma]]'' [[Legislative session|sessions]],{{sfn|Rossiter|2003|p=552}} the Supreme Court cited ''[[Marbury v. Madison]]'' (1803) and ''[[McCulloch v. Maryland]]'' (1819) in concluding that "The longstanding 'practice of the government' ... can inform [the] determination of 'what the law is{{' "}}.<ref name="Ellis & Dubinsky" /><ref>{{ussc|name=NLRB v. Noel Canning|volume=573|page=513|docket=12-1281|slip=7|year=2014}}</ref><ref>{{ussc|name=Marbury v. Madison|volume=5|page=137|pin=177|year=1803}}</ref><ref>{{ussc|name=McCulloch v. Maryland|volume=17|page=316|pin=401|year=1819}}</ref>

===Speaker ''pro tempore''===
Under the Rules of the House, the speaker may designate a member to serve as speaker ''pro tempore'', acting as the body's presiding officer in the speaker's absence. In most instances, the speaker ''pro tempore'' designation lasts for no more than three legislative days, although in the case of illness of the speaker, the speaker ''pro tempore'' may serve for ten legislative days if the appointment is approved by the House.<ref name=118thCongHouseRules>[https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules118.house.gov/files/documents/Rules%20and%20Resources/118-House-Rules-Clerk.pdf ''Rules of the House of Representatives'' 118th Congress], Rule I, Section 8.</ref>

[[File:Patrick McHenry, official portrait, 116th Congress (long cropped).jpg|thumb|left|upright=.80|[[Patrick McHenry]] acted as speaker ''pro tempore'' in October 2023, following the [[Removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House|removal of Kevin McCarthy.]]]]
Separately, a speaker ''pro tempore'' is designated in the event the office of the speaker is declared vacant. Under the current Rules of the House, at the start of their term, the speaker is required to create a secret ordered list of members to temporarily serve as speaker of the House if the speakership became vacant<ref name=Griffiths>Brent D. Griffiths, [https://www.businessinsider.com/who-leads-the-house-mccarthy-ousted-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10 Once a secret, the temporary House speaker is Rep. Patrick McHenry], ''Insider'' (October 3, 2023).</ref> and to provide the [[clerk of the United States House of Representatives]] this list "as soon as practicable after" the election "and whenever appropriate thereafter."<ref name=118thCongHouseRules/><ref name="HousePracticeChap34">''[https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPRACTICE-108/pdf/GPO-HPRACTICE-108-35.pdf House Practice]'', chap. 34 (Office of the Speaker): "Under rule I clause 8(b)(3), adopted in the [[108th Congress]], the Speaker is required to deliver to the Clerk a list of Members in the order in which each shall act as Speaker pro tempore in the case of a vacancy in the Office of Speaker."</ref> The names are only revealed in the event of a vacancy (e.g., by the speaker's death, resignation, incapacitation, or removal from office).<ref name=Griffiths/><Ref name=Tully-McManus>Katherine Tully-McManus, [https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/10/03/congress/new-temporary-speaker-mchenry-00119758 McHenry named as acting speaker], ''Politico'' (October 3, 2023).</ref> This "succession list" procedure was created in 2003,<Ref name=Stewart>Kyle Stewart, [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/kevin-mccarthy-ousted-speaker-house-next-steps-rcna118561 What happens next after Kevin McCarthy ousted as speaker of the House], NBC News (October 3, 2023).</ref> following the [[September 11 attacks]], to promote [[continuity of government]].<Ref name=Tully-McManus/> Rule&nbsp;I, clause&nbsp;8, of the House Rules states the member whose name appears first on the list "shall act as Speaker ''pro tempore'' until the election of a Speaker or a Speaker ''pro tempore''."<Ref name=Stewart/> The speaker ''pro tempore'' is not in the [[United States presidential line of succession|line of succession for the presidency]].<Ref name=Tully-McManus/>

Following the [[removal of Kevin McCarthy]] as speaker in October 2023 on a [[Motion to vacate the chair|motion to vacate]] (the first time in history that a speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives was successfully removed by the House), [[Patrick McHenry]] was revealed to be the first name on McCarthy's list and became acting speaker.<Ref name=Stewart/><Ref name=Tully-McManus/> The intent of the rule was for the speaker ''pro tempore'' to serve for a short period, until the House elected a new speaker, but the House rules set no specific limit on the length of time that a member may be speaker ''pro tempore''.<Ref name=Stewart/>

The designation of a speaker ''pro tempore'' for purposes of succession, and for purposes of serving as the body's presiding officer in the speaker's absence, is separate from the speaker's designation of multiple members as speakers ''pro tempore'' for the purpose of allowing them to sign [[enrolled bill]]s and [[joint resolution]]s.<Ref name=Tully-McManus/><ref name=Chap34EnrolledBills>''[https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPRACTICE-108/pdf/GPO-HPRACTICE-108-35.pdf House Practice]'', chap. 34 (Office of the Speaker): "If the Speaker appoints a Speaker pro tempore only for purposes of signing enrolled bills and joint resolutions, such an appointment may extend for a 'specified period of time' with the approval of the House. Rule I clause 8. The Speaker may appoint two alternate Members to sign enrolled bills. Manual Sec. 634."</ref> The House Rules state: "With the approval of the House, the Speaker may appoint a Member to act as Speaker ''pro tempore'' only to sign enrolled bills and [[joint resolution]]s for a specified period of time."<ref name=118thCongHouseRules/> The list of the members with this duty (usually political allies of the speaker, or members from districts close to Washington and thus better able to hold ''[[pro forma]]'' sessions) is made public.<Ref name=Tully-McManus/>

== History ==
{{more citations needed|section|date=March 2020}}
[[File:Frederick Muhlenberg.jpg|thumb|left|upright=.90|[[Frederick Muhlenberg]] (1789–1791, 1793–1795) was the first speaker.]]
[[File:Clay-standing.jpg|thumb|left|upright=.90|[[Henry Clay]] (1811–1814, 1815–1820, 1823–1825) used his influence as speaker to ensure the passage of measures he favored.]]
The first speaker of the House, [[Frederick Muhlenberg]] of [[Pennsylvania]], was elected to office on April 1, 1789, the day the House organized itself at the start of the [[1st United States Congress|1st Congress]]. He served two non-consecutive terms in the speaker's chair, 1789–1791 (1st Congress) and 1793–1795 ([[3rd United States Congress|3rd Congress]]).<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Speakers of the House|url=https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Speakers-List/|website=history.house.gov|publisher=United States House of Representatives|access-date=January 11, 2019|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194829/https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Speakers-List/|url-status=live}}</ref>

As the Constitution does not state the duties of the speaker, the speaker's role has largely been shaped by [[Procedures_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives#Rules_of_the_House|rules]] and customs that evolved over time. Scholars are divided as to whether early speakers played largely ceremonial and impartial roles or whether they were more active partisan actors.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Peart|first=Daniel|date=2021|title=Rethinking the Role of the Speaker: Power, Institutional Development, and the Myth of the "Impartial Moderator" in the Early US House of Representatives|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-policy-history/article/abs/rethinking-the-role-of-the-speaker-power-institutional-development-and-the-myth-of-the-impartial-moderator-in-the-early-us-house-of-representatives/F3F15AB7CF57317963C1C35484D6AC63|journal=Journal of Policy History|language=en|volume=33|issue=1|pages=1–31|doi=10.1017/S0898030620000226|s2cid=231694119|issn=0898-0306|access-date=March 11, 2021|archive-date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202082525/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-policy-history/article/abs/rethinking-the-role-of-the-speaker-power-institutional-development-and-the-myth-of-the-impartial-moderator-in-the-early-us-house-of-representatives/F3F15AB7CF57317963C1C35484D6AC63|url-status=live}}</ref>

===19th century===
From early in its existence, the speaker's primary function had been to keep order and enforce rules. The speakership was transformed into a position with power over the legislative process under [[Henry Clay]] (1811–1814, 1815–1820, and 1823–1825).<ref>C. Stewart III, "Architect or tactician? Henry Clay and the institutional development of the US House of Representatives" [http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/18148/clay.pdf?sequence=1 1998, online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194616/http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/18148/clay.pdf?sequence=1 |date=January 14, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://millercenter.org/president/adams/essays/clay-1825-secretary-of-state| title=Henry Clay (1825–1829)| work=U.S. Presidents| date=October 4, 2016| publisher=Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia| location=Charlottesville, Virginia| access-date=May 10, 2021| archive-date=May 10, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510112824/https://millercenter.org/president/adams/essays/clay-1825-secretary-of-state| url-status=live}}</ref> In contrast to many of his predecessors, Clay participated in several debates and used his influence to procure the passage of measures he supported—for instance, the declaration of the [[War of 1812]], and various laws relating to Clay's "[[American System (economic plan)|American System]]" economic plan. Furthermore, when no candidate received an [[Electoral College (United States)|Electoral College]] majority in the [[1824 presidential election]], causing the president to be elected by the House, Speaker Clay threw his support to [[John Quincy Adams]] instead of [[Andrew Jackson]], thereby ensuring Adams' victory. Following Clay's retirement in 1825, the power of the speakership once again began to decline, despite speakership elections becoming increasingly bitter. As the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] approached, several sectional factions nominated their own candidates, often making it difficult for any candidate to attain a majority. In 1855 and again in 1859, for example, the contest for speaker lasted for two months before the House achieved a result. Speakers tended to have very short tenures during this period. For example, from 1839 to 1863 there were eleven speakers, only one of whom served for more than one term. [[James K. Polk]] is the only speaker of the House who was later elected president of the United States.

[[File:Thomas Brackett Reed - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|upright=.90|[[Thomas Brackett Reed]] (1889–1891, 1895–1899) was one of the most powerful speakers.]]
Toward the end of the 19th century, the office of speaker began to develop into a very powerful one. At the time, one of the most important sources of the speaker's power was his position as Chairman of the [[United States House Committee on Rules|Committee on Rules]], which, after the reorganization of the committee system in 1880, became one of the most powerful standing committees of the House. Furthermore, several speakers became leading figures in their political parties; examples include Democrats [[Samuel J. Randall]], [[John Griffin Carlisle]], and [[Charles F. Crisp]], and Republicans [[James G. Blaine]], [[Thomas Brackett Reed]], and [[Joseph Gurney Cannon]].

The power of the speaker was greatly augmented during the tenure of the Republican [[Thomas Brackett Reed]] (1889–1891, 1895–1899). "Czar Reed", as he was called by his opponents,<ref>Robinson, William A. "Thomas B. Reed, Parliamentarian". ''The American Historical Review'', October 1931. pp. 137–138.</ref> sought to end the obstruction of bills by the minority, in particular by countering the tactic known as the "[[disappearing quorum]]".<ref>{{cite web|last=Oleszek|first=Walter J. |url=http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/pre20th_rules.htm |title=A Pre-Twentieth Century Look at the House Committee on Rules |publisher=U.S. House of Representatives|date=December 1998|access-date=July 5, 2007|url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20050825205640/http://rules.house.gov/archives/pre20th_rules.htm |archive-date=August 25, 2005}}</ref> By refusing to vote on a motion, the minority could ensure that a quorum would not be achieved and that the result would be invalid. Reed, however, declared that members who were in the chamber but refused to vote would still count for the purposes of determining a quorum. Through these and other rulings, Reed ensured that the Democrats could not block the Republican agenda.

===20th century===
[[File:JGCannon.jpg|thumb|upright=.90|[[Joseph Gurney Cannon]] (1903–1911) is often considered the most powerful speaker.]]

The speakership reached its apogee during the term of Republican [[Joseph Gurney Cannon]] (1903–1911). Cannon exercised extraordinary control over the legislative process. He determined the agenda of the House, appointed the members of all committees, chose committee chairmen, headed the Rules Committee, and determined which committee heard each bill. He vigorously used his powers to ensure that Republican proposals were passed by the House. In 1910, however, Democrats and several dissatisfied Republicans joined to strip Cannon of many of his powers, including the ability to name committee members and his chairmanship of the Rules Committee.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jones|first=Charles O.|author-link=Charles O. Jones|date=August 1968|title=Joseph G. Cannon and Howard W. Smith: An Essay on the Limits of Leadership in the House of Representatives|journal=[[The Journal of Politics]]|volume=30|issue=3|pages=617–646|doi=10.2307/2128798|jstor=2128798|s2cid=154012153}}</ref> Fifteen years later, Speaker [[Nicholas Longworth]] restored much, but not all, of the lost influence of the position.

[[File:Sam Rayburn.jpg|thumb|left|upright=.90|[[Sam Rayburn]] (1940–1947; 1949–1953; and 1955–1961) was the longest serving speaker.]]
One of the most influential speakers in history was Democrat [[Sam Rayburn]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thc.state.tx.us/samrayhouse/srhdefault.html|title=Sam Rayburn House Museum|publisher=Texas Historical Commission |access-date= July 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701112906/http://www.thc.state.tx.us/samrayhouse/srhdefault.html|archive-date=July 1, 2007}}</ref> Rayburn had the most cumulative time as speaker in history, holding office from 1940 to 1947, 1949 to 1953, and 1955 to 1961. He helped shape many bills, working quietly in the background with House committees. He also helped ensure the passage of several domestic measures and foreign assistance programs advocated by Presidents [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and [[Harry Truman]].

Rayburn's successor, Democrat [[John W. McCormack]] (served 1962–1971), was a somewhat less influential speaker, particularly because of dissent from younger members of the Democratic Party. During the mid-1970s, the power of the speakership once again grew under Democrat [[Carl Albert]]. The Committee on Rules ceased to be a semi-independent panel, as it had been since 1910. Instead, it once again became an arm of the party leadership. Moreover, in 1975, the speaker was granted the authority to appoint a majority of the members of the Rules Committee. Meanwhile, the power of committee chairmen was curtailed, further increasing the relative influence of the speaker.

Albert's successor, Democrat [[Tip O'Neill]], was a prominent speaker because of his public opposition to the policies of President [[Ronald Reagan]]. O'Neill is the longest continuously serving speaker, from 1977 through 1987. He challenged Reagan on domestic programs and on defense expenditures. Republicans made O'Neill the target of their election campaigns in 1980 and 1982 but Democrats managed to retain their majorities in both years.

The roles of the parties reversed in 1994 when, after spending forty years in the minority, the Republicans regained control of the House with the "[[Contract with America]]", an idea spearheaded by [[Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives|Minority Whip]] [[Newt Gingrich]]. 
[[File:Dennis_Hastert_109th_pictorial_photo.jpg|thumb|left|upright=.90|[[Dennis Hastert]] (1999-2007) was the longest serving Republican speaker.]]
Speaker Gingrich would regularly clash with Democratic President [[Bill Clinton]], leading to the [[United States federal government shutdown of 1995 and 1996]], in which Clinton was largely seen to have prevailed. Gingrich's hold on the leadership was weakened significantly by that and several other controversies, and he faced a caucus revolt in 1997. 

After the Republicans lost House seats in 1998 (although retaining a majority) he did not stand for a third term as speaker. His successor, [[Dennis Hastert]], had been chosen as a compromise candidate since the other Republicans in the leadership were more controversial. 

Hastert, who had been serving in the House since 1986, became the longest serving Republican speaker (1999-2007). Hastert led the campaign to elect [[Tom DeLay]], with whom he developed a close and effective partnership, as House Majority Whip.

===21st century===
[[File:2007SOU Bush Cheney Pelosi.jpg|thumb|left|upright=.90|[[Nancy Pelosi]] (first woman elected as U.S. House Speaker) behind President [[George W. Bush]] at the [[2007 State of the Union Address]]]]
The Republicans came out of the 2000 elections with a further reduced majority but made small gains in 2002 and 2004. The periods of 2001–2002 and 2003–2007 were the first times since 1953–1955 that there was single-party Republican leadership in Washington, interrupted from 2001 to 2003 as Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]] left the Republican Party to become independent and caucused with Senate Democrats to give them a 51–49 majority.

In the 2006 midterm elections, the Democratic Party regained control of the House of Representatives. [[Nancy Pelosi]] was elected Speaker of the House, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

President Bush acknowledged Pelosi as the first woman in that position in the opening of his [[2007 State of the Union Address]] .<ref>{{cite web |last=Bush |first=George W. |author-link=George W. Bush |date=January 23, 2007 |title=President Bush Delivers State of the Union Address |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/01/20070123-2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502232627/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/01/20070123-2.html |archive-date=May 2, 2013 |access-date=August 26, 2007 |publisher=[[The White House]]}}</ref>

[[John Boehner]] was elected speaker when the [[112th Congress]] convened on January 5, 2011, and was re-elected twice, at the start of the [[113th United States Congress|113th]] and [[114th United States Congress|114th]] Congresses. On both of those occasions his remaining in office was threatened by the defection of several members from his own party who chose not to vote for him.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/04/were-the-g-o-p-votes-against-boehner-a-historic-rejection|title=Were the G.O.P. Votes Against Boehner a Historic Rejection?|last=Cohen|first=Micah|date=January 4, 2013|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 1, 2019|url-access=limited|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194655/https://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/04/were-the-g-o-p-votes-against-boehner-a-historic-rejection|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/06/politics/house-speaker-boehner-vote|title=Boehner Overcomes Big Opposition to Remain Speaker|last=Walsh|first=Deirdre|date=January 6, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129025454/http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/06/politics/house-speaker-boehner-vote/|archive-date=January 29, 2015|publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> Boehner's tenure as speaker, which ended when he resigned from Congress in October 2015, was marked by multiple battles with the conservatives in his own party related to "[[Obamacare]]", [[Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014|appropriations]], among other political issues.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/09/25/john-boehner-resigns-house-speaker/72793398/|title=Speaker John Boehner to resign from Congress|last1=Shesgreen|first1=Deirdre|date=September 25, 2015|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=February 4, 2019|last2=Allen|first2=Cooper|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194812/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/09/25/john-boehner-resigns-house-speaker/72793398/|url-status=live}}</ref> This intra-party discord continued under Boehner's successor, [[Paul Ryan]].
[[File:McCarthy Holding Gavel After Speaker Election.jpg|thumb|[[Kevin McCarthy]] became the first Speaker to be successfully [[Removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House|removed from office]] in October 2023]]
When Republican leader John Boehner succeeded Pelosi as speaker in 2011, Pelosi remained the leader of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives and served as House minority leader for eight years before she led her party to victory in the 2018 elections. Following the [[2018 midterm elections]] which saw the election of a Democratic Party majority in the House, [[Nancy Pelosi]] was again elected speaker when the [[116th Congress]] convened on January 3, 2019. In addition to being the first woman to hold the office, Pelosi became the first speaker to return to power since Sam Rayburn in the 1950s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2019/01/03/nancy-pelosi-speaker-of-the-house/|title=Nancy Pelosi regains the House speaker's gavel as Democrats confront Trump over partial shutdown|last=Wire|first=Sarah D.|date=January 3, 2019|work=[[The Denver Post]]|access-date=September 28, 2019|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194822/https://www.denverpost.com/2019/01/03/nancy-pelosi-speaker-of-the-house/|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the [[2022 midterm elections]] which saw the election of a narrow Republican Party majority in the House, Pelosi did not seek a Democratic leadership post in the next Congress. The Democratic Caucus named her "Speaker Emerita".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Diaz |first=Daniella |date=December 2, 2022 |title=House Democrats pick Hakeem Jeffries to succeed Nancy Pelosi, the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress| url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/30/politics/house-democratic-leadership-vote/index.html| work=[[CNN]]| access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| last=Schnell| first=Mychael| date=December 1, 2022| title=House panel votes to designate Pelosi 'Speaker Emerita'| url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3757247-house-panel-votes-to-designate-pelosi-speaker-emerita/| access-date=January 7, 2023| work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref>

[[Kevin McCarthy]] then became the new Speaker of the House on January 7, 2023, after the longest multi-ballot speaker election since 1859.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=McCartney|first1=Allison|last2=Parlapiano|first2=Alicia|last3=Wu|first3=Ashley |last4=Zhang |first4=Christine |last5=Williams |first5=Josh |last6=Cochrane |first6=Emily |last7=Murphy |first7=John-Michael |date=January 4, 2023|title=Vote Count: McCarthy Elected House Speaker After 15 Ballots |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/01/04/us/politics/house-speaker-vote-tally.html |access-date=October 20, 2023|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 6, 2023 |title=Kevin McCarthy elected US House Speaker after 15 rounds of voting |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64193932 |access-date=October 20, 2023}}</ref> McCarthy was eventually [[Removal of Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House|removed as speaker]] on October 3, 2023, after a further split in the Republican caucus, with five [[House Freedom Caucus]] members voting against McCarthy, which when combined with votes of Democrats, resulted in the ouster of McCarthy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2023 |title=House passes 45-day funding bill, likely avoiding a government shutdown|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/government-shutdown-saturday-rcna118201 |access-date=October 3, 2023 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> This was the first time in the history of the House of Representatives in which the Speaker of the House was successfully removed.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hutzler |first1=Alexandra |last2=Peller |first2=Lauren |last3=Scott |first3=Rachel |last4=Siegel |first4=Benjamin |last5=Parkinson|first5=John|title=McCarthy vote live updates: House speaker ousted for first time in US history |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/mccarthy-speaker-vote-live-updates/?id=103692404 |access-date=October 3, 2023 |website=ABC News|language=en}}</ref> Following a multi-day four-ballot election, [[Mike Johnson]] was [[October 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election|elected speaker]] on October 25, 2023.<ref>{{cite news| last=Greve | first=Joan E | title=Republican Mike Johnson elected House speaker after weeks of chaos |work=The Guardian | date=October 25, 2023 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/25/mike-johnson-republican-house-speaker-vote | access-date=October 26, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Zurcher | first=Anthony | title=Mike Johnson: Republicans got a Speaker elected. Now begins the hard part |work=BBC News | date=October 25, 2023 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67223383 | access-date=October 26, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Republican Mike Johnson elected US House speaker | website=Al Jazeera | date=October 25, 2023 | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/25/republican-mike-johnson-elected-us-house-speaker | access-date=October 26, 2023}}</ref>

== Notable elections ==
{{see also|List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections}}
{{Politics of the United States}}
Historically, there have been several controversial elections to the speakership, such as the contest of 1839. In that case, even though the [[26th United States Congress]] convened on December 2, the House could not begin the speakership election until December 14 because of an election dispute in [[New Jersey]] known as the "[[Broad Seal War]]". Two rival delegations, one [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]] and the other Democrat, had been certified as elected by different branches of the New Jersey government. The problem was compounded by the fact that the result of the dispute would determine whether the Whigs or the Democrats held the majority. Neither party agreed to permit a speakership election with the opposite party's delegation participating. Finally, it was agreed to exclude both delegations from the election and a speaker was finally chosen on December 17.

Another, more prolonged fight occurred in 1855 in the [[34th United States Congress]]. The old [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig Party]] had collapsed but no single party had emerged to replace it. Candidates opposing the Democrats had run under a bewildering variety of labels, including Whig, [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], American ([[Know Nothing]]), and simply "[[Opposition Party (Northern U.S.)|Opposition]]". By the time Congress actually met in December 1855, most of the northerners were concentrated together as Republicans, while most of the southerners and a few northerners used the American or Know Nothing label. Opponents of the Democrats held a majority in House, with the party makeup of the 234 representatives being 83 Democrats, 108 Republicans, and 43 Know Nothings (primarily southern oppositionists). The Democratic minority nominated [[William Alexander Richardson]] of Illinois as speaker, but because of sectional distrust, the various oppositionists were unable to agree on a single candidate for speaker. The Republicans supported [[Nathaniel Prentice Banks]] of Massachusetts, who had been elected as a Know Nothing but was now largely identified with the Republicans. The southern Know Nothings supported first [[Humphrey Marshall (general)|Humphrey Marshall]] of Kentucky, and then [[Henry M. Fuller]] of Pennsylvania. The voting went on for almost two months with no candidate able to secure a majority, until it was finally agreed to elect the speaker by plurality vote, and Banks was elected.<ref>Allan Nevins. ''Ordeal of the Union, Volume II: A House Dividing 1852–1857'' (New York, 1947), 413–415.</ref>

The House found itself in a similar dilemma when the [[36th Congress]] met in December 1859. Although the Republicans held a plurality, the Republican candidate, [[John Sherman]], was unacceptable to southern oppositionists due to his anti-slavery views, and once again the House was unable to elect a speaker. After Democrats allied with southern oppositionists to nearly elect the North Carolina oppositionist [[William N. H. Smith]], Sherman finally withdrew in favor of compromise candidate [[William Pennington]] of New Jersey, a former Whig of unclear partisan loyalties, who was finally elected speaker on February 1, 1860.<ref>Allan Nevins. ''The Emergence of Lincoln, Volume II: Prologue to Civil War, 1859–1861'' (New York, 1950), 116–123.</ref>

In December 1923, at the start of the [[68th Congress]], Republican [[Frederick H. Gillett]] needed nine ballots to win reelection. [[Progressive Republican]]s had refused to support Gillett in the first eight ballots. Only after winning concessions from Republican conference leaders (a seat on the [[House Rules Committee]] and a pledge that requested House rules changes would be considered) did they agree to support him.<ref name="Openingday1">{{cite news| last=Wolfensberger| first=Don| title=Opening day of new Congress: Not always total joy| work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]| date=December 12, 2018| url=https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/420984-opening-day-of-new-congress-not-always-total-joy| access-date=March 1, 2019| archive-date=January 14, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194645/https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/420984-opening-day-of-new-congress-not-always-total-joy| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=WaPo162015>{{cite news| last=Blake| first=Blake| date=January 6, 2015| title=John Boehner just endured the biggest revolt against a House speaker in more than 150 years| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/01/06/boehner-could-face-biggest-speaker-defection-since-1923/?noredirect=on| newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]| access-date=March 1, 2019| archive-date=January 14, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194755/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/01/06/boehner-could-face-biggest-speaker-defection-since-1923/?noredirect=on| url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1997, several Republican congressional leaders tried to force Speaker [[Newt Gingrich]] to resign. However, Gingrich refused since that would have required a new election for speaker, which could have led to Democrats along with dissenting Republicans voting for Democrat [[Dick Gephardt]] (then minority leader) as speaker. After the 1998 midterm elections where the Republicans lost seats, Gingrich did not stand for re-election. The next two figures in the House Republican leadership hierarchy, Majority Leader [[Richard Armey]] and Majority Whip [[Tom DeLay]] chose not to run for the office. The chairman of [[United States House Committee on Appropriations|the House Appropriations Committee]], [[Bob Livingston]], declared his bid for the speakership, which was unopposed, making him speaker-designate. It was then revealed, by Livingston himself, who had been publicly critical of President [[Bill Clinton]]'s alleged [[perjury]] during his sexual harassment trial, that he had engaged in an extramarital affair. He opted to resign from the House, despite being urged to stay on by House Democratic leader Gephardt. Subsequently, the chief deputy whip [[Dennis Hastert]] was selected as speaker. The Republicans retained their majorities in the 2000, 2002, and 2004 elections.

The Democrats won a majority of seats in the 2006 midterm elections. On November 16, 2006, [[Nancy Pelosi]], who was then minority leader, was selected as speaker-designate by House Democrats.<ref>[http://www.sfgov.org/site/cosw_page.asp?id=51838 San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015709/http://www.sfgov.org/site/cosw_page.asp?id=51838 |date=September 30, 2007}}. City & County of San Francisco, November 16, 2006. Retrieved on July 5, 2007.</ref> When the 110th Congress convened on January 4, 2007, she was elected as the 52nd speaker by a vote of 233–202, becoming the first woman elected speaker of the House.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/05/washington/05cong.html|title=Jubilant Democrats Assume Control on Capitol Hill|author=John M. Broder|work=The New York Times|date=January 5, 2007|access-date=February 8, 2018|language=en|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194801/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/05/washington/05cong.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Pelosi was reelected speaker in the 111th Congress, and again in the 116th and 117th Congresses.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-portrait-of-speaker-nancy-pelosi-unveiled-in-congress-to-join-gallery-of-predecessors|title=Portrait of Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled at the Capitol as historic tenure nears end|date=December 14, 2022|work=PBS|access-date=January 4, 2023}}</ref>

The [[January 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election|January 2023 speakership election]] occurred two months after the [[2022 United States House of Representatives elections|2022 House elections]] in which the Republicans won a slim four-seat majority. [[Kevin McCarthy]] was nominated for speaker by the [[House Republican Conference]] but due to a division among the Republicans, no one received a majority of the votes on the first ballot, necessitating an additional round of balloting for the first time since 1923. McCarthy ultimately prevailed when the remaining six anti-McCarthy holdouts voted "[[Abstention|present]]" on the 15th ballot, ending the longest multiple-ballot speaker election since before the Civil War.<ref>{{cite news| last1=Debusmann| first1=Bernd| last2=Murphy| first2=Matt| title=Kevin McCarthy elected US House Speaker after 15 rounds of voting| date=January 7, 2023| work=BBC News| url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64193932| access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Vote Count: McCarthy Elected House Speaker After 15 Ballots| first1=Allison| last1=McCartney| first2=Alicia| last2=Parlapiano| first3=Ashley| last3=Wu| first4=Christine| last4=Zhang| first5=Josh| last5=Williams| first6=Emily| last6=Cochrane| first7=John-Michael| last7=Murphy| date=January 6, 2023| work=The New York Times| url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/01/04/us/politics/house-speaker-vote-tally.html| access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| first1=Kathryn| last1=Watson| first2=Melissa| last2=Quinn| title=Kevin McCarthy wins speaker race after a grueling 4 days and 15 rounds of voting| date=January 7, 2023| url=https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/house-speaker-race-vote-kevin-mccarthy-watch-live-stream-today-2023-01-06/| work=CBS News| access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref> He was [[Removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House|removed from office]] less than ten months later, the first time in American History the House voted to remove its incumbent speaker.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Edmonson |first1=Catie |last2=Broadwater |first2=Luke |date=October 3, 2023 |title=House to Vote on McCarthy's Future as Speaker - The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/03/us/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-news/kevin-mccarthy-speaker |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003140056/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/03/us/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-news/kevin-mccarthy-speaker |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> This led to [[October_2023_Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives_election|multiple rounds of voting]] across multiple weeks to replace him, ultimately leading to the election of Representative [[Mike Johnson]]. This came after two weeks of negotiations between Republicans, including three failed votes for Speaker.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 25, 2023 |title=Live updates: Rep. Mike Johnson elected speaker, breaking weeks-long stalemate |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/25/house-speaker-vote/ |access-date=October 25, 2023 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}}</ref>

===Multi-ballot elections===
In total, there have been 16 elections requiring multiple ballots to elect a speaker, with 13 before the [[American Civil War]], one in 1923, and two in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Speaker Elections Decided by Multiple Ballots |url=https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Speakers-Multiple-Ballots/ |access-date=October 26, 2023 |publisher=United States House of Representatives}}</ref>

{{Table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders defaultleft col1center col5center"
! scope="col" | Con{{shy}}gress
! scope="col" | Person elected
! scope="col" | Party
! scope="col" | District
! scope="col" | {{abbr|#|Number of}}<br />Ballots
! scope="col" | Election date(s)
|-
|[[3rd United States Congress|3rd]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Frederick|Muhlenberg}}
| [[Anti-Administration]]
| {{ushr|PA|AL|B}}
|3
|data-sort-value="179312"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#December 1793|December 2, 1793]]
|-
|[[6th United States Congress|6th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Theodore|Sedgwick}}
| [[Federalist Party|Federalist]]
| {{ushr|MA|1|B}}
|2
|data-sort-value="179912"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#December 1799|December 2, 1799]]
|-
|[[9th United States Congress|9th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Nathaniel|Macon}}
| [[Democratic-Republican]]
| {{ushr|NC|6|B}}
|3
|data-sort-value="180512"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#December 1805|December 2, 1805]]
|-
|[[11th United States Congress|11th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Joseph Bradley|Varnum}}
| [[Democratic-Republican]]
| {{ushr|MA|4|B}}
|2
|data-sort-value="180905"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#May 1809|May 22, 1809]]
|-
|[[16th United States Congress|16th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|John W.|Taylor|dab=politician}}
| [[Democratic-Republican]]
| {{ushr|NY|11|B}}
|22
|data-sort-value="182011"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#November 1820|November 13–15, 1820]]
|-
|[[17th United States Congress|17th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Philip P.|Barbour}}
| [[Democratic-Republican]]
| {{ushr|VA|11|B}}
|12
|data-sort-value="182112"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#December 1821|December 3–4, 1821]]
|-
|[[19th United States Congress|19th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|John W.|Taylor|dab=politician}}
| [[National Republican]]
| {{ushr|NY|17|B}}
|2
|data-sort-value="182512"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#December 1825|December 5, 1825]]
|-
|[[23rd United States Congress|23rd]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|John|Bell|dab=Tennessee politician}}
| [[Jacksonian democracy|Jacksonian]]
| {{ushr|TN|9|B}}
|10
|data-sort-value="183406"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#June 1834|June 2, 1834]]
|-
|[[26th United States Congress|26th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Robert M.&nbsp;T.|Hunter}}
| [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
| {{ushr|VA|9|B}}
|11
|data-sort-value="183912"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#December 1839|December 14–16, 1839]]
|-
|[[30th United States Congress|30th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Robert Charles|Winthrop}}
| [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
| {{ushr|MA|1|B}}
|3
|data-sort-value="184712"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#December 1847|December 6, 1847]]
|-
|[[31st United States Congress|31st]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Howell|Cobb}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| {{ushr|GA|6|B}}
|63
|data-sort-value="184912"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#December 1849|December 3–22, 1849]]
|-
|[[34th United States Congress|34th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Nathaniel P.|Banks}}
| [[Know Nothing|American]]
| {{ushr|MA|7|B}}
|133
|data-sort-value="185512"|[[1855–56 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election|December 3, 1855 – February 2, 1856]]
|-
|[[36th United States Congress|36th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|William|Pennington}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| {{ushr|NJ|5|B}}
|44
|data-sort-value="185912"|[[List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections#December 1859 – February 1860|December 5, 1859 – February 1, 1860]]
|-
|[[68th United States Congress|68th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Frederick H.|Gillett}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| {{ushr|MA|2|B}}
|9
|data-sort-value="192312"|[[1923 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election|December 3–5, 1923]]
|-
|data-sort-value="118.1"|[[118th United States Congress|118th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Kevin|McCarthy}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| {{ushr|CA|20|B}}
|15
|data-sort-value="202301"|[[January 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election|January 3–7, 2023]]
|-
|data-sort-value="118.2"|[[118th United States Congress|118th]]
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Mike|Johnson}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| {{ushr|LA|4|B}}
|4
|data-sort-value="202310"|[[October 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election|October 17–25, 2023]]
|}

== Partisan role ==
The Constitution does not spell out the political role of the speaker. As the office has developed historically, however, it has taken on a clearly partisan cast, very different from the speakership of most Westminster-style legislatures, such as the [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|speaker of the United Kingdom's House of Commons]], which is meant to be scrupulously non-partisan. The speaker in the United States, by [[Procedures_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives#Rules_of_the_House|tradition]], is the head of the majority party in the House of Representatives, outranking the majority leader. However, despite having the right to vote, the speaker usually does not participate in debate and only votes on the most significant bills.

The speaker is responsible for ensuring that the House passes legislation supported by the majority party. In pursuing this goal, the speaker may use their influence over the [[United States House Committee on Rules|Rules committee]], which [[United States House Committee on Rules#Special rules|is in charge of the business of the House]]. The speaker chairs the majority party's House steering committee, which selects the majority members of each House standing committee, including the Rules committee (although it's worth to note their appointment to the said committees must be ratified by a resolution of the full House).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46786/1|title=Rules Governing House Committee and Subcommittee Assignment Procedures}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RS/RS20930/4|title=House Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization}}</ref> While the speaker is the functioning head of the House majority party, the same is not true of the president ''pro tempore'' of the Senate, whose office is primarily ceremonial and honorary.

When the speaker and the president belong to the same party, the speaker tends to play the role in a more ceremonial light, as seen when [[Dennis Hastert]] played a very restrained role during the presidency of fellow Republican [[George W. Bush]].{{Cn|date=October 2023}} Nevertheless, when the speaker and the president belong to the same party, there are also times that the speaker plays a much larger role, and the speaker is tasked, e.g., with pushing through the agenda of the majority party, often at the expense of the minority opposition. This can be seen, most of all, in the speakership of [[Democratic-Republican]] [[Henry Clay]], who personally ensured the presidential victory of fellow Democratic-Republican [[John Quincy Adams]]. Democrat [[Sam Rayburn]] was a key player in the passing of [[New Deal]] legislation under the presidency of fellow Democrat [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]]. Republican [[Joseph Gurney Cannon]] (under [[Theodore Roosevelt]]) was particularly infamous for his marginalization of the minority Democrats and centralizing of authority to the speakership. In more recent times, Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] played a role in continuing the push for health care reform during the presidency of fellow Democrat [[Barack Obama]] and in pushing for increases in infrastructure and climate spending during the presidency of Democrat [[Joe Biden]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2010/03/pelosi-steeled-wh-for-health-push-034753|title=Nancy Pelosi steeled White House for health push – Carrie Budoff Brown and Glenn Thrush|last1=Thrush|first1=Glenn|date=March 20, 2010|work=[[Politico]]|access-date=December 6, 2011|last2=Brown|first2=Carrie Budoff|author-link=Glenn Thrush|author-link2=Carrie Budoff Brown|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194745/https://www.politico.com/story/2010/03/pelosi-steeled-wh-for-health-push-034753|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |author=Annie Grayer, Manu Raju and Clare Foran |title=Congress passes $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, delivering major win for Biden |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/05/politics/house-votes-infrastructure-build-back-better/index.html |access-date=September 2, 2022 |work=CNN|date=November 5, 2021 }}</ref>

[[File:President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush meet with Tip O'Neill.jpg|thumb|upright=.90|Speaker [[Tip O'Neill]] meeting with President [[Ronald Reagan]] and Vice President [[George H. W. Bush]] on June 1, 1981.]]
On the other hand, when the speaker and the president belong to opposite parties, the public role and influence of the speaker tend to increase. As the highest-ranking member of the opposition party (and ''de facto'' [[leader of the opposition]]), the speaker is normally the chief public opponent of the president's agenda. In this scenario, the speaker is known for undercutting the president's agenda by blocking measures by the minority party or rejecting bills by the Senate. One famous instance came in the form of [[Thomas Brackett Reed]] (under [[Grover Cleveland]]), a speaker notorious for his successful attempt to force the Democrats to vote on measures where the Republicans had clear majorities, which ensured that Cleveland's Democrats were in no position to challenge the Republicans in the House. Joseph Cannon was particularly unique in that he led the conservative "Old Guard" wing of the Republican Party, while his president—Theodore Roosevelt—was of the more progressive clique, and more than just marginalizing the Democrats, Cannon used his power to punish the dissidents in his party and obstruct the progressive wing of the Republican Party.

More modern examples include [[Tip O'Neill]], who was a vocal opponent of President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s economic and defense policies; [[Newt Gingrich]], who fought a bitter battle with President [[Bill Clinton]] for control of domestic policy; [[Nancy Pelosi]], who argued with President [[George W. Bush]] over the [[Iraq War]];<ref name="abcnews1">{{cite news |last=Sanchez |first=Ray |date=November 3, 2010 |title=Nancy Pelosi: House Speaker's Exclusive Interview With Diane Sawyer |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/exclusive-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-interview-diane-sawyer/story?id=12047865 |url-status=live |access-date=December 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615091935/http://abcnews.go.com/story?id=12047865&page=1 |archive-date=June 15, 2011}}</ref> [[John Boehner]], who clashed with President [[Barack Obama]] over budget issues and [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act|health care]];<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.1310news.com/news/world/article/164986--republicans-take-charge-of-us-house-poised-for-clashes-with-obama-over-spending-health-care |title=Republicans take charge of US House, poised for clashes with Obama over spending, health care |access-date=January 7, 2011 |last=Hurst |first=Steven R. |author-link=Steven R. Hurst |date=January 5, 2011 |publisher=1310 News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510020739/http://www.1310news.com/news/world/article/164986--republicans-take-charge-of-us-house-poised-for-clashes-with-obama-over-spending-health-care |archive-date=May 10, 2011}}</ref> and once again, Nancy Pelosi, who refused to support President [[Donald Trump]] over funding for a border wall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/nancy-pelosi-border-wall-immoral-expensive-unwise-n749841|title=Nancy Pelosi: Border wall is 'immoral, expensive, unwise'|website=NBC News|date=April 23, 2017 |language=en|access-date=October 29, 2019|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194810/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/nancy-pelosi-border-wall-immoral-expensive-unwise-n749841|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Presiding officer ==
[[File:James Knox Polk by GPA Healy, 1858.jpg|thumb|left|upright=.90|[[James Polk]] is the only Speaker (1835–1839) to have also served as [[President of the United States]] (1845–1849).]]
As presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the speaker holds a variety of powers over the House and is ceremonially the highest-ranking legislative official in the U.S. government.<ref>[http://definitions.uslegal.com/s/speaker-of-the-house/ Speaker of the House Law & Legal Definition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194652/https://definitions.uslegal.com/s/speaker-of-the-house/ |date=January 14, 2021 }}. Retrieved March 16, 2015.</ref> The speaker may delegate their powers to a member of the House to act as speaker ''pro tempore'' and to preside over the House in the speaker's absence; when this has occurred the delegation has always been to a member of the same party.<ref>[http://definitions.uslegal.com/s/speaker-pro-tempore/ Speaker Pro Tempore Law & Legal Definition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194732/https://definitions.uslegal.com/s/speaker-pro-tempore/ |date=January 14, 2021 }}. Retrieved March 16, 2015.</ref> During important debates, the speaker ''pro tempore'' is ordinarily a senior member of the majority party who may be chosen for his or her skill in presiding. At other times, more junior members may be assigned to preside to give them experience with the rules and procedures of the House. The speaker may also designate, with approval of the House, a speaker ''pro tempore'' for special purposes, such as designating a representative whose district is near Washington, D.C. to sign [[enrolled bill]]s during long recesses.

Under the [[Procedures of the United States House of Representatives|rules of the House]], the speaker, "as soon as practicable after the election of the speaker and whenever appropriate thereafter", must deliver to the clerk of the House a list of members who are designated to act as speaker in the case of a vacancy or physical inability of the speaker to perform their duties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/legislative/house-rules.pdf|title=Rules of the House of Representatives|date=January 6, 2015|access-date=October 21, 2015|archive-date=October 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005220012/http://clerk.house.gov/legislative/house-rules.pdf/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the floor of the House, the presiding officer is always addressed as "Mister Speaker" or "Madam Speaker", even if that person is serving as speaker ''pro tempore''. When the House resolves itself into a [[Committee of the Whole (United States House of Representatives)|Committee of the Whole]], the speaker designates a member to preside over the committee, who is addressed as "Mister Chairman" or "Madam Chairwoman". To speak, members must seek the presiding officer's recognition. The presiding officer also rules on all points of order but such rulings may be appealed to the whole House. The speaker is responsible for maintaining decorum in the House and may order the [[Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives|Sergeant-at-Arms]] to enforce House rules.

The speaker is in charge of deciding which committee a bill will be assigned to, of determining whether to allow a member to make a [[Suspension of the rules in the United States Congress|motion to suspend the rules]] and of appointing members to select committees and conference committees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RS/98-314|title=Suspension of the Rules in the House: Principal Features}}</ref>

As a member of the House, the speaker is entitled to participate in debate and to vote. Ordinarily, the speaker votes only when the speaker's vote would be decisive or on matters of great importance, such as constitutional amendments or major legislation.<ref>''Americapedia: Taking the Dumb Out of Freedom'' Jodi Lynn Anderson, Daniel Ehrenhaft & Andisheh Nouraee 2011, Bloomsbury Publishing Page 26.</ref> Under the early rules of the House, the speaker was generally barred from voting, but today the speaker has the same right as other members to vote but only occasionally exercises it. The speaker may vote on any matter that comes before the House, and they are required to vote where their vote would be decisive or where the House is engaged in voting by ballot.<ref>{{cite web |title=House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House] |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPRACTICE-108/html/GPO-HPRACTICE-108-35.htm |website=gpo.gov |publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office |access-date=April 13, 2021 |ref=HouseGovPub |archive-date=May 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504120323/https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPRACTICE-108/html/GPO-HPRACTICE-108-35.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Other functions ==
[[File:OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, WASHINGTON D.C..jpg|thumb|upright=.90|Speaker's office in the [[U.S. Capitol]], during the term of [[Dennis Hastert]] (1999–2007)]]
In addition to being the political and parliamentary leader of the House of Representatives and representing their congressional district, the speaker also performs various other administrative and procedural functions, such as:
* Oversees the officers of the House: the [[Clerk of the United States House of Representatives|clerk]], the [[Sergeant-at-Arms of the United States House of Representatives|sergeant-at-arms]], the [[Chief Administrative Officer of the United States House of Representatives|chief administrative officer]], and the [[Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives|chaplain]];
* Serves as the chairperson of the [[House Office Building Commission]];<ref name=RL97-780>{{cite web| last=Heitshusen| first=Valerie| url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/97-780| title=The Speaker of the House: House Officer, Party Leader, and Representative| work=CRS Report for Congress RL97-780| publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]], [[Library of Congress]]| location=Washington, D.C.| date=May 16, 2017| access-date=January 22, 2019| archive-date=January 14, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194706/https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/97-780| url-status=live}}</ref>
* Appoints the House's [[Parliamentarian of the United States House of Representatives|parliamentarian]],<ref>{{cite web| title=Parliamentarians of the House| url=https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Parliamentarians/| website=history.house.gov| publisher=United States House of Representatives| access-date=January 22, 2019| archive-date=January 14, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194656/https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Parliamentarians/| url-status=live}}</ref> [[Historian of the United States House of Representatives|historian]], general counsel, and inspector general;<ref>{{cite web| last=Forte| first=David F.| title=Essays on Article I: Speaker of the House| url=https://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/1/essays/10/speaker-of-the-house| work=The Heritage Guide to The Constitution| publisher=The Heritage Foundation| access-date=January 22, 2019| archive-date=August 22, 2020| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822232208/https://www.heritage.org/constitution/%23!/amendments/8/essays/161/cruel-and-unusual-punishment#!/articles/1/essays/10/speaker-of-the-house| url-status=live}}</ref>
* Administers the House audio and video broadcasting system;
*In consultation with the minority leader, can devise a system of drug testing in the House.<ref name="RL97-780" /> This option has never been exercised;<ref>{{Cite web|title=Will members of Congress ever drug-test themselves? They've certainly tried|url=https://www.rollcall.com/2019/02/22/will-members-of-congress-ever-drug-test-themselves-theyve-certainly-tried/|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=Roll Call|date=February 22, 2019|language=en|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116104807/https://www.rollcall.com/2019/02/22/will-members-of-congress-ever-drug-test-themselves-theyve-certainly-tried/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Receives reports or other communications from the president, government agencies, boards, and commissions;<ref name=RL97-780/> and
* Receives, along with the [[President pro tempore of the United States Senate|president ''pro tempore'' of the Senate]], written declarations that a U.S. president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, or is able to resume them, under Sections 3 and 4 of the [[Twenty-fifth Amendment]].<ref>{{cite web| last=Neale| first=Thomas H.| title=Presidential Disability Under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment: Constitutional Provisions and Perspectives for Congress| work=CRS Report for Congress R45394| publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]], the [[Library of Congress]]| location=Washington, D.C.| date=November 5, 2018| url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45394.pdf| access-date=January 22, 2019| archive-date=November 8, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108153228/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45394.pdf| url-status=live}}</ref>

Additionally, the speaker is second in the [[United States presidential line of succession|presidential line of succession]] under the [[Presidential Succession Act]] of 1947, immediately after the vice president and before the president ''pro tempore'' of the Senate (who is followed by members of the president's [[Cabinet of the United States|Cabinet]]). Thus, if both the presidency and vice-presidency were vacant simultaneously, then the speaker would become [[Acting president of the United States|acting president]], after resigning from the House and as speaker.<ref name=Neale2005CRS>{{cite web| last=Neale| first=Thomas H.| url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32969.pdf| title=Presidential Succession: An Overview with Analysis of Legislation Proposed in the 109th Congress| work=CRS Report for Congress RL32969| pages=4–6| publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]], the [[Library of Congress]]| location=Washington, D.C.| date=June 29, 2005| access-date=January 22, 2019| archive-date=January 14, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194624/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32969.pdf| url-status=live}}</ref>

Ratification of the Twenty-fifth Amendment in 1967, with its mechanism for filling an intra-term vice-presidential vacancy, has made calling on the speaker, president ''pro tempore'', or a cabinet member to serve as acting president unlikely to happen, except in the aftermath of a catastrophic event.<ref name=Neale2005CRS/> However, only a few years after it went into effect, in 1973, at the height of [[Watergate]], Vice President [[Spiro Agnew]] resigned. With Agnew's unexpected departure and the state of [[Richard Nixon]]'s presidency, Speaker [[Carl Albert]] was suddenly first in line to become acting president. The vacancy continued until [[Gerald Ford]] was sworn in as vice president.<ref>{{cite news| title=Speaker Albert Was Ready to Be President| last=Gup| first=Ted| date=November 28, 1982| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1982/11/28/speaker-albert-was-ready-to-be-president/84ebaa61-9cf1-4817-836e-a993e7e0e980/| newspaper=The Washington Post| access-date=January 22, 2019| archive-date=January 14, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194754/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1982/11/28/speaker-albert-was-ready-to-be-president/84ebaa61-9cf1-4817-836e-a993e7e0e980/| url-status=live}}</ref> Albert was also next in line from the time Ford assumed the presidency following [[Richard Nixon's resignation speech|Nixon's resignation from office]] in 1974, until Ford's choice to succeed him as vice president, [[Nelson Rockefeller]], was confirmed by Congress.<ref name=Neale2005CRS/>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Politics|United States}}
* [[Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives]]
* [[Party leaders of the United States Senate]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}} 
 
== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* Garraty, John, ed. ''American National Biography'' (1999) 20 volumes; contains scholarly biographies of all speakers no longer alive.
* Green, Matthew N. ''The Speaker of the House: A Study of Leadership'' (Yale University Press; 2010) 292 pages; Examines partisan pressures and other factors that shaped the leadership of the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; focuses on the period since 1940.
* Grossman, Mark. ''Speakers of the House of Representatives'' (Amenia, NY: Grey House Publishing, 2009). The comprehensive work on the subject, covering, in depth, the lives of the speakers from Frederick Muhlenberg to Nancy Pelosi.
* {{cite web |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL30857.pdf |title=Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913–2017 |first1=Valerie |last1=Heitshusen |date=November 26, 2018 |publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]] |access-date=December 18, 2018}}
* Remini, Robert V. ''The House: the History of the House of Representatives'' (Smithsonian Books, 2006). The standard scholarly history.
* Rohde, David W. ''Parties and Leaders in the Postreform House'' (1991).
* {{cite book|title=The Federalist Papers|editor-first=Clinton|editor-last=Rossiter|editor-link=Clinton Rossiter|publisher=[[Signet Classics]]|year=2003|isbn=9780451528810|title-link=The Federalist Papers}}
* Smock, Raymond W., and Susan W. Hammond, eds. ''Masters of the House: Congressional Leadership Over Two Centuries'' (1998). Short biographies of key leaders.
* Zelizer. Julian E. ed. ''The American Congress: The Building of Democracy'' (2004). A comprehensive history by 40 scholars.

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040615195431/http://www.c-span.org/questions/ "Capitol Questions."] C-SPAN (2003). Notable elections and role.
* ''The Cannon Centenary Conference: The Changing Nature of the Speakership.'' (2003). House Document 108–204. History, nature and role of the speakership.
* ''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to Congress'', 5th ed. (2000). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press.
* [[Wilson, Woodrow]]. (1885). ''Congressional Government.'' New York: Houghton Mifflin.

{{s-start}}
{{s-prec|us-pres}}
{{s-bef
| before = [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]]<br />{{small|{{Incumbent VPOTUS}}}}
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = 2nd in line
| years = 
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [[President pro tempore of the United States Senate|President pro tempore of the Senate]]<br />{{small|[[Patty Murray]]}}
}}
{{s-end}}

{{US House speakers}}
{{US Presidential Line of Succession}}
{{United States Congress|membersandleaders}}

[[Category:Speakers of the United States House of Representatives| ]]
[[Category:1789 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Speakership of the United States House of Representatives]]
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