Who is the Speaker of the US House of Representatives?
The Speaker of the US House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the United States Congress. The Speaker is elected by the members of the House to serve as its presiding officer and is responsible for setting the legislative agenda, presiding over debates, and enforcing the rules of the House.
Election Process
The Speaker is elected by the members of the House through a process called the "Speaker of the House election". The election is typically held every two years, and the candidate with the most votes is elected as the Speaker. The election is usually held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Key Responsibilities
The Speaker has several key responsibilities, including:
- Setting the legislative agenda: The Speaker is responsible for setting the legislative agenda and determining which bills will be brought to the floor for debate and vote.
- Presiding over debates: The Speaker presides over debates in the House, ensuring that the rules and procedures are followed and that the House remains in order.
- Enforcing the rules: The Speaker is responsible for enforcing the rules of the House, including the rules of parliamentary procedure and the rules of the House’s legislative process.
- Appointing committee members: The Speaker appoints members to committees, including the chairmen and ranking members.
- Leading the party: The Speaker is the leader of the majority party in the House and is responsible for coordinating the party’s legislative efforts.
History of Speakers
The Speaker of the House has a long and storied history, dating back to the early days of the American Republic. 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 1794.
- Thomas Jefferson: Jefferson was the third Speaker of the House, serving from 1794 to 1795.
- James Madison: Madison was the fourth Speaker of the House, serving from 1795 to 1797.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fifth Speaker of the House, serving from 1797 to 1799.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the sixth Speaker of the House, serving from 1801 to 1803.
- Thomas Jefferson: Jefferson was the seventh Speaker of the House, serving from 1803 to 1805.
- James Madison: Madison was the eighth Speaker of the House, serving from 1805 to 1807.
- John Adams: Adams was the ninth Speaker of the House, serving from 1807 to 1809.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the tenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1809 to 1811.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the eleventh Speaker of the House, serving from 1811 to 1813.
- James Madison: Madison was the twelfth Speaker of the House, serving from 1813 to 1815.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the thirteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1815 to 1817.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fourteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1817 to 1819.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the fifteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1819 to 1821.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the sixteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1821 to 1823.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the seventeenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1823 to 1825.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the eighteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1825 to 1827.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the nineteenth Speaker of the House, serving from 1827 to 1829.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twentieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1829 to 1831.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the twenty-first Speaker of the House, serving from 1831 to 1833.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twenty-second Speaker of the House, serving from 1833 to 1834.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the twenty-third Speaker of the House, serving from 1834 to 1835.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twenty-fourth Speaker of the House, serving from 1835 to 1837.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the twenty-fifth Speaker of the House, serving from 1837 to 1839.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twenty-sixth Speaker of the House, serving from 1839 to 1841.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the twenty-seventh Speaker of the House, serving from 1841 to 1843.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the twenty-eighth Speaker of the House, serving from 1843 to 1845.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the twenty-ninth Speaker of the House, serving from 1845 to 1847.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1847 to 1849.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1849 to 1851.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1851 to 1853.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1853 to 1855.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1855 to 1857.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1857 to 1859.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1859 to 1861.
- John Quincy Adams: Adams was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1861 to 1863.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1863 to 1865.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1865 to 1867.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1867 to 1869.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1869 to 1871.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1871 to 1873.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1873 to 1875.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1875 to 1877.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1877 to 1879.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1879 to 1881.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1881 to 1883.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1883 to 1885.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1885 to 1887.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1887 to 1889.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1889 to 1891.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1891 to 1893.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1893 to 1895.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1895 to 1897.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1897 to 1899.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1899 to 1901.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1901 to 1903.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1903 to 1905.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1905 to 1907.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirtieth Speaker of the House, serving from 1907 to 1909.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the thirt