Editing Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (section)

== 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>