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“Clay championed national policies over regional ones, and he effectively coupled the institutional tools of the speakership with his personal charisma, raising the stature of the House,” the House historian’s office notes. Today, the role of the speaker is influenced especially by changes instituted by Speaker Newt Gingrich, who took the gavel after the 1994 elections. Second, the speaker manages business on the floor and navigates legislative rules, structuring House debate in a way that will advantage their legislative priorities. Adherence to strict rules and procedures is necessary to overcome the difficulty of managing a large legislative body like the House of Representatives. The US Constitution established the role of Speaker of the House, which oversees the lower chamber of Congress. The Speaker is both traditionally and historically a sitting member of the majority party, though this is not a constitutional requirement.
Rep. Mike Johnson
The individual in this office is second in the line of presidential succession, following the vice president. In 1997, several Republican congressional leaders tried to force Speaker Newt Gingrich to resign. However, Gingrich refused since that would have required a new election for speaker, which could have led to Democrats along with dissenting Republicans voting for Democrat Dick Gephardt (then minority leader) as speaker. After the 1998 midterm elections where the Republicans lost seats, Gingrich did not stand for re-election. The next two figures in the House Republican leadership hierarchy, Majority Leader Richard Armey and Majority Whip Tom DeLay chose not to run for the office.
Republican Mike Johnson elected US House speaker, ending leadership vacuum - Reuters
Republican Mike Johnson elected US House speaker, ending leadership vacuum.
Posted: Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Information for candidates
In addition, the Speaker controls the order of all institutional business on the House floor. The Speaker also votes on business as needed as a representative from a Congressional district. The speaker is responsible for ensuring that the House passes legislation supported by the majority party. In pursuing this goal, the speaker may use their influence over the Rules committee, which is in charge of the business of the House.
Speaker pro tempore
The Speaker recognizes Members to speak on the House Floor or make motions during Floor proceedings. The Speaker may debate or vote, but typically only occasionally does so. The Speaker also serves as an ex officio member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Katherine ClarkAssists leadership in managing party's legislative program. A shrewd and effective Speaker will be able to marshal their members behind their party's agenda, and control rebellious lawmakers by doling out incentives or punishments.
House Republicans spar over Speaker decision as McCarthy fights to secure votes
Now, the speaker is the leader of the majority political party, controls the order of business on the floor and also votes, just like other members. Wielded effectively, the position of Speaker of the House is one of the most powerful in Washington. Depending on the partisan makeup of Congress, they can make or break a US president's agenda, stymie opposition, and spearhead their party's biggest legislative initiatives. The Republicans came out of the 2000 elections with a further reduced majority but made small gains in 2002 and 2004. They do not have control over the House's functions like the Speaker does, but instead wield power within their caucus to keep lawmakers unified in opposition to the majority or advance bipartisan efforts. As the highest-ranking member of the House, the Speaker is elected by a vote of the members of the House.
For example, from 1839 to 1863 there were eleven speakers, only one of whom served for more than one term. James K. Polk is the only speaker of the House who was later elected president of the United States. At other times, more junior members may be assigned to preside to give them experience with the rules and procedures of the House. The speaker may also designate, with approval of the House, a speaker pro tempore for special purposes, such as designating a representative whose district is near Washington, D.C. House of Representatives, who is elected by the majority party to lead the House. The speaker presides over debate, appoints members of select and conference committees, establishes the legislative agenda, maintains order within the House, and administers the oath of office to House members.
The problem was compounded by the fact that the result of the dispute would determine whether the Whigs or the Democrats held the majority. Neither party agreed to permit a speakership election with the opposite party's delegation participating. Finally, it was agreed to exclude both delegations from the election and a speaker was finally chosen on December 17. The majority party members and the minority party members meet separately to select their leaders. Third parties rarely have had enough members to elect their own leadership, and independents will generally join one of the larger party organizations to receive committee assignments. A party caucus or conference is the name given to a meeting of or organization of all party members in the House.
Notable elections
By 1910, Speaker Joe Cannon had centralized power to such an extent that many of his own party members rebelled. Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York was selected as the Democratic minority leader. The very first thing a new session of the House of Representatives must do is vote for a Speaker of the House. Without that person in place, the chamber cannot move on to any other function, including swearing-in members. The longest-serving and perhaps most influential Speaker in history was Texas Democrat Sam Rayburn, who served as Speaker from 1940 to 1947, 1949 to 1953, and 1955 to 1961. Working closely with House committees and members from both parties, Speaker Rayburn ensured the passage of several controversial domestic policies and foreign aid bills backed by Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman.
He helped shape many bills, working quietly in the background with House committees. He also helped ensure the passage of several domestic measures and foreign assistance programs advocated by Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman. Since Gingrich’s tenure, speakers are often criticized as too partisan and too powerful, trampling minority party interests. At a practical level, the Speaker sets the House's legislative agenda, controls committee assignments, sets the vote and work calendar, and is responsible for keeping their party members unified behind major initiatives. Since the first organized political parties—the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party—did not appear until the 1790s, some scholars suggest that early Speakers of the House served largely ceremonial, rather than actively partisan political roles as they do today. Along with the title and duties, the Speaker of the House continues to serve as the elected representative from his or her congressional district.
And the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as Speaker of the House is unprecedented in Congressional history. On the floor of the House, the presiding officer is always addressed as "Mister Speaker" or "Madam Speaker", even if that person is serving as speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into a Committee of the Whole, the speaker designates a member to preside over the committee, who is addressed as "Mister Chairman" or "Madam Chairwoman". The presiding officer also rules on all points of order but such rulings may be appealed to the whole House.
NC’s Rep. McHenry is writing history’s playbook in new interim House speaker role - Raleigh News & Observer
NC’s Rep. McHenry is writing history’s playbook in new interim House speaker role.
Posted: Thu, 05 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The speaker is selected by the full House membership, though the majority party’s voting power ensures that the role is occupied by one of their own. The vote for Speaker requires a candidate to receive the support of a majority of the House votes. The existing leader of the majority party is usually presumed to be the person to assume the speakership. In 1811, Henry Clay became the first dynamic national political figure to assume the role of Speaker of the House. Since Clay’s three terms in the House, various Speakers have used different leadership styles in their critical jobs as national party spokesperson and House institutional leader. Since Clay’s time, the role of Speaker of the House has become more complex as the size of government has grown.
A historic drama is playing out in the US House of Representatives after Republican congressman Matt Gaetz's successful attempt to dethrone his party's House Speaker, Kevin McCarthy. The first Speaker of the House was Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania, elected during the first session of Congress in 1789. The Speaker does, however, typically preside over special joint sessions of Congress in which the House hosts the Senate. Typically the head of the majority party in the House, the Speaker outranks the Majority Leader. The salary of the Speaker is also higher than that of the Majority and Minority Leaders in both the House and Senate. The Constitution does not require that the Speaker be an elected member of Congress.
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