Omar Bennett
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House and the second highest-ranking official in the presidential line of succession. The office was established in 1789 by Article I, Section 2 of the US Constitution, which states that The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker. While the Constitution does not explicitly require the Speaker to be a member of the House, every Speaker thus far has been an elected member. The Speaker is chosen through a vote by the House, and their primary role is to serve as a parliamentarian and peacekeeper, similar to the Speaker in the British House of Commons.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Whether the Speaker must be a member of the House | The Constitution does not require that the Speaker be an elected House Representative, though every Speaker so far has been an elected Member of the House. |
| The Speaker's role | The Speaker is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives, the political and parliamentary leader of the House, the de facto leader of the body's majority party, and the institution's administrative head. |
| The Speaker's duties | The Speaker performs various administrative and procedural functions, all in addition to representing their own congressional district. The Speaker usually does not personally preside over debates. That duty is instead delegated to members of the House from the majority party. |
| The Speaker's powers | The Speaker declares the House adjourned when the hour previously fixed for adjournment arrives, approves the assignment of leadership staff to the floor, declares the House in recess in the event of an emergency, and convenes the House in a place at the seat of government other than the Hall of the House whenever it is in the public interest. |
| The Speaker's term | The Speaker is elected for a two-year term. |
| The Speaker's position in the presidential line of succession | The Speaker is second in the United States presidential line of succession, after the Vice President and ahead of the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate. |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution does not require the Speaker to be a House member
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House, established in 1789 by Article I, Section 2 of the US Constitution. The Speaker is second in the presidential line of succession, after the vice president. The Constitution does not require the Speaker to be an elected House Representative, though every Speaker so far has been a sitting House member.
Article I, Section II, Clause 5, of the US Constitution, concerning the choosing of a speaker, does not explicitly state House membership as a requirement. The text of the Constitution simply states that "The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker..." The 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".
The Speaker's role is to be a parliamentarian and peacekeeper, and they are responsible for various administrative and procedural functions. They also represent their own congressional district. The Speaker does not usually personally preside over debates, instead delegating this duty to members of the House from the majority party.
The Speaker is chosen by the House, usually during party meetings before a new Congress meets, and the House confirms the selection by individual voice votes. The Speaker's term of office expires at the end of their term as a House member.
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The Speaker is second in the presidential line of succession
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is one of the most important elected officials in Washington. The Speaker is second in the presidential line of succession. The U.S. Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 outline the presidential order of succession. The line of succession specifies that the office passes to the vice president. If the vice presidency is vacant, the powers and duties of the presidency pass to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, followed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, and then Cabinet secretaries, depending on eligibility.
The Presidential Succession Act of 1792 provided for succession after the president and vice president: first, the president pro tempore of the Senate, followed by the Speaker of the House. The statute provided that the presidential successor would serve in an acting capacity, holding office only until a new president could be elected. The Presidential Succession Act was adopted in 1947 and last revised in 2006. The 25th Amendment, adopted in 1967, establishes procedures for filling an intra-term vacancy in the office of the vice president.
The Speaker is the only House officer who is traditionally chosen from the sitting membership of the House. The Speaker's term of office expires at the end of their term as a Member, while other House officers remain in office until their successors are chosen. The Speaker's role is to declare the House adjourned when the hour previously fixed for adjournment arrives, approve the assignment of leadership staff to the floor, declare the House in recess in the event of an emergency, and perform various other duties.
While the Speaker has always been a sitting House member, the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly state House membership as a requirement. 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". The Speaker is chosen by the House, which "shall choose their Speaker and other Officers". The Speaker is elected by the House through individual voice votes, with the clerk of the House presiding over the voting process.
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The Speaker is the House's presiding officer
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House. The office was established in 1789 by Article I, Section 2 of the US Constitution, which states that "The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker..."
The Speaker is the political and parliamentary leader of the House, and is simultaneously the body's presiding officer, the de facto leader of the body's majority party, and the institution's administrative head. The Speaker also performs various administrative and procedural functions, all in addition to representing their own congressional district.
The Speaker is second in the presidential line of succession, after the vice president and ahead of the president pro tempore of the Senate. The Speaker usually does not personally preside over debates, instead delegating the duty to members of the House from the majority party.
The Speaker is the only House officer who is traditionally chosen from the sitting membership of the House. However, the Constitution does not require that the Speaker be an elected House Representative, and there is no explicit mention of House membership as a requirement. As of 2023, every Speaker has been a sitting House member, but non-members have received votes in Speaker elections since 1997.
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The Speaker is the de facto leader of the body's majority party
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House. The office was established in 1789 by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which states that "The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker..."
The Constitution does not require that the Speaker be an elected House Representative, and they are not considered to be a part of the House membership. However, every Speaker so far has been an elected Member of the House, and a member of a political party or faction. The Speaker is chosen by the House, usually during party meetings before a new Congress meets, and the House confirms the selection by individual voice votes.
The Speaker has the power to declare the House in recess in the event of an emergency and to approve the assignment of leadership staff to the floor. They also sign various documents, including warrants and subpoenas, and make preliminary decisions on questions of privilege. The Speaker does not usually preside over debates, instead delegating this duty to members of the House from the majority party.
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The Speaker is the institution's administrative head
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is one of the most important elected officials in Washington. The Speaker is the only House officer invariably chosen from the sitting membership of the House, although the Constitution does not require this. The Speaker's term of office expires at the end of their term as a Member, while other officers remain in office until their successors are chosen.
The Speaker is the political and parliamentary leader of the House of Representatives, and the Constitution mandates the office. The Speaker is simultaneously the House's presiding officer, party leader, and the institution's administrative head, among other duties. The Speaker oversees the officers of the House, including the clerk, the sergeant-at-arms, the chief administrative officer, and the chaplain. They also serve as the chairperson of the House Office Building Commission and appoint the House's parliamentarian, historian, general counsel, and inspector general.
The Speaker also has the power to declare the House in recess in the event of an emergency and to change the convening time within constitutional limits during an adjournment of not more than three days. They can sign various documents, including warrants and subpoenas, and make preliminary decisions on questions of privilege. The Speaker determines the presence of a quorum, conducts quorum counts, and counts certain votes.
The Speaker's role as the "'elect of the elect' in the House gives them a highly visible position with the public. They are responsible for ensuring that the House passes legislation supported by the majority party and may use their influence over the Rules Committee to achieve this. The Speaker also has a representative role as an elected Member of the House and may occasionally vote on matters, especially when their vote would be decisive.
In conclusion, while the Constitution does not explicitly require the Speaker to be a sitting House member, the role has always been filled by one. The Speaker is the administrative head of the institution, with various procedural and administrative functions, and plays a crucial role in the House's operations and public perception.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the Constitution does not require the Speaker to be an incumbent member of the House. However, every Speaker thus far has been a member.
The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. They are the political and parliamentary leader of the House, the de facto leader of the body's majority party, and the institution's administrative head.
The Speaker is elected by a roll call vote when the House first convenes after a general election for its two-year term, or when a speaker dies, resigns, or is removed from the position intra-term. A majority of votes cast is required to elect a speaker.
