Who is the U.S. Speaker of the House?
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the U.S. Congress. The Speaker is elected by the members of the House of Representatives to serve as the chief administrative officer of the House and to preside over its proceedings.
Election Process
The Speaker 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 for a term of one year, unless they resign or are impeached and removed from office.
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 on legislative business: The Speaker is responsible for leading the House on legislative business, including introducing bills and holding hearings.
- Representing the House: The Speaker represents the House of Representatives in the U.S. Senate and the White House.
History of the Speaker
The Speaker of the House has a long and storied history in the United States. The first Speaker of the House was Samuel Adams, who was elected in 1789. Adams was a leader of the Sons of Liberty and was instrumental in the American Revolution.
Notable Speakers
Some notable Speakers of the House include:
- Thomas Jefferson: Jefferson was the third Speaker of the House and served from 1799 to 1801.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fourth Speaker of the House and served from 1811 to 1815.
- John C. Calhoun: Calhoun was the fifth Speaker of the House and served from 1815 to 1821.
- Robert T. Brooke: Brooke was the sixth Speaker of the House and served from 1821 to 1827.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the seventh Speaker of the House and served from 1827 to 1829.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the eighth Speaker of the House and served from 1829 to 1831.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the ninth Speaker of the House and served from 1831 to 1833.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the tenth Speaker of the House and served from 1833 to 1835.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the eleventh Speaker of the House and served from 1835 to 1837.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the twelfth Speaker of the House and served from 1837 to 1839.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the thirteenth Speaker of the House and served from 1839 to 1841.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the fourteenth Speaker of the House and served from 1841 to 1843.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fifteenth Speaker of the House and served from 1843 to 1845.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the sixteenth Speaker of the House and served from 1845 to 1847.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the seventeenth Speaker of the House and served from 1847 to 1849.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the eighteenth Speaker of the House and served from 1849 to 1851.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the nineteenth Speaker of the House and served from 1851 to 1853.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the twentieth Speaker of the House and served from 1853 to 1855.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the twenty-first Speaker of the House and served from 1855 to 1857.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the twenty-second Speaker of the House and served from 1857 to 1859.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the twenty-third Speaker of the House and served from 1859 to 1861.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the twenty-fourth Speaker of the House and served from 1861 to 1863.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the twenty-fifth Speaker of the House and served from 1863 to 1865.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the twenty-sixth Speaker of the House and served from 1865 to 1867.
- John W. Davis: Davis was the twenty-seventh Speaker of the House and served from 1867 to 1869.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the twenty-eighth Speaker of the House and served from 1869 to 1871.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the twenty-ninth Speaker of the House and served from 1871 to 1873.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the thirtieth Speaker of the House and served from 1873 to 1875.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the thirty-first Speaker of the House and served from 1875 to 1877.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the thirty-second Speaker of the House and served from 1877 to 1879.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the thirty-third Speaker of the House and served from 1879 to 1881.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the thirty-fourth Speaker of the House and served from 1881 to 1883.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the thirty-fifth Speaker of the House and served from 1883 to 1885.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the thirty-sixth Speaker of the House and served from 1885 to 1887.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the thirty-seventh Speaker of the House and served from 1887 to 1889.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the thirty-eighth Speaker of the House and served from 1889 to 1891.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the thirty-ninth Speaker of the House and served from 1891 to 1893.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1893 to 1895.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the forty-first Speaker of the House and served from 1895 to 1897.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the forty-second Speaker of the House and served from 1897 to 1899.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the forty-third Speaker of the House and served from 1899 to 1901.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the forty-fourth Speaker of the House and served from 1901 to 1903.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the forty-fifth Speaker of the House and served from 1903 to 1905.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the forty-sixth Speaker of the House and served from 1905 to 1907.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the forty-seventh Speaker of the House and served from 1907 to 1909.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the forty-eighth Speaker of the House and served from 1909 to 1911.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the forty-ninth Speaker of the House and served from 1911 to 1913.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1913 to 1915.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1915 to 1917.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1917 to 1919.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1919 to 1921.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1921 to 1923.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1923 to 1925.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1925 to 1927.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1927 to 1929.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1929 to 1931.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1931 to 1933.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1933 to 1935.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1935 to 1937.
- Samuel J. Tilden: Tilden was the fortieth Speaker of the House and served from 1937 to 1939.
- Henry Clay: Clay was the for