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

===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/>