Who is Speaker of the House Now?
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the United States Congress. The Speaker is elected by the members of the House of Representatives to serve as the leader of the majority party or the leader of the House in the absence of the Speaker.
Election Process
The Speaker of the House is elected by the members of the House of Representatives through a process called the "House of Representatives election." The election is typically held every two years, and the Speaker is elected by a majority vote of the members of the House. The Speaker is elected by a simple majority vote, meaning that if no candidate receives a majority of the votes, the candidate with the most votes is elected.
Key Responsibilities
The Speaker of the House has several key responsibilities, including:
- Presiding over the House: The Speaker presides over the House of Representatives and is responsible for maintaining order and decorum in the chamber.
- Leading the majority party: The Speaker is the leader of the majority party in the House and is responsible for guiding the party’s legislative agenda.
- Appointing committee members: The Speaker appoints members to committees, including the chairmen and ranking members.
- Leading the House in the absence of the Speaker: In the absence of the Speaker, the President pro tempore of the Senate and the presiding officer of the House of Representatives serve as the presiding officer of the House.
History of Speakers
The Speaker of the House has a long and storied history, dating back to the early days of the United States. Some of the most notable Speakers include:
- Samuel Adams: Adams was the first Speaker of the House, serving from 1789 to 1791.
- John Adams: Adams was the second Speaker of the House, serving from 1791 to 1797.
- Thomas Jefferson: Jefferson was the third Speaker of the House, serving from 1797 to 1801.
- James Madison: Madison was the fourth Speaker of the House, serving from 1801 to 1807.
- Benjamin Franklin: Franklin was the fifth Speaker of the House, serving from 1807 to 1809.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the sixth Speaker of the House, serving from 1811 to 1813.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the seventh Speaker of the House, serving from 1813 to 1815.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the eighth Speaker of the House, serving from 1815 to 1817.
- Robert Brown: Brown was the ninth Speaker of the House, serving from 1817 to 1819.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the tenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1819 to 1821.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the eleventh Speaker of the House, serving from 1821 to 1825.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the twelfth Speaker of the House, serving from 1825 to 1827.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1827 to 1829.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the fourteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1829 to 1831.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the fifteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1831 to 1833.
- Andrew Jackson: Jackson was the sixteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1833 to 1835.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the seventeenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1835 to 1837.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the eighteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1837 to 1841.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the nineteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1841 to 1843.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the twentieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1843 to 1845.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twenty-first Speaker of the House, serving from 1845 to 1847.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the twenty-second Speaker of the House, serving from 1847 to 1849.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twenty-third Speaker of the House, serving from 1849 to 1851.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the twenty-fourth Speaker of the House, serving from 1851 to 1853.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twenty-fifth Speaker of the House, serving from 1853 to 1855.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the twenty-sixth Speaker of the House, serving from 1855 to 1857.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twenty-seventh Speaker of the House, serving from 1857 to 1859.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the twenty-eighth Speaker of the House, serving from 1859 to 1861.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twenty-ninth Speaker of the House, serving from 1861 to 1863.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1863 to 1865.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1865 to 1867.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1867 to 1869.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1869 to 1871.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1871 to 1873.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1873 to 1875.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1875 to 1877.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1877 to 1879.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1879 to 1881.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1881 to 1883.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1883 to 1885.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1885 to 1887.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1887 to 1889.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1889 to 1891.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1891 to 1893.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1893 to 1895.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1895 to 1897.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1897 to 1899.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1899 to 1901.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1901 to 1903.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1903 to 1905.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1905 to 1907.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1907 to 1909.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1909 to 1911.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1911 to 1913.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1913 to 1915.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1915 to 1917.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1917 to 1919.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1919 to 1921.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1921 to 1923.
- John Tyler: Tyler was the thirtieth