Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the head of the United States House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the current members of the House. A person with more than half of the votes becomes Speaker.
| Speaker of the United States House of Representatives | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the Speaker | |
| Style | Mister or Madam Speaker (Informal and within the House) The Honorable (Formal) |
| Appointer | Elected by the U.S. House of Representatives |
| Inaugural holder | Frederick Muhlenberg April 1, 1789 |
| Formation | U.S. Constitution March 4, 1789 |
| Succession | Second |
| Website | Speaker of the House |
Duties
The Speaker has always been a member of the majority party (the party with the most members) but does not have to be an elected member of the House (this has not happened yet). The job of the Speaker is to keep the House in order and to assign committee memberships and chairmanships. It is an important and powerful position in government.
Background
Sam Rayburn is the only person to have served as Speaker of the House for more than ten years.
Theodore M. Pomeroy served as Speaker of the House for one day after Speaker Schuyler Colfax resigned to become Vice President of the United States; Pomeroy's term as a Member of Congress ended the next day.
Sam Rayburn, Henry Clay, Thomas Brackett Reed, Joseph William Martin, Jr., Frederick Muhlenberg, John W. Taylor, and Nancy Pelosi are the only Speakers of the House to have ever served in non-consecutive Congresses (i.e. another Speaker served in between each tenure).
Order of succession
The Speaker of the House is third in line for the Presidency of the United States. If the President of the United States dies or steps down, the Vice President of the United States becomes President. If there is no vice president, the Speaker of the House automatically becomes acting president.
List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives
It includes the congressional district and political affiliation of each speaker as well as the number of their Congress and time they spent in the position.
| # | Speaker | Party | District | Congress | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Frederick Muhlenberg
|
Pro-Administration | Pennsylvania-AL | 1st | April 1, 1789 — March 4, 1791 |
| 2 |  Jonathan Trumbull, Jr.
|
Pro-Administration | Connecticut-4th | 2nd | October 24, 1791 — March 4, 1793 |
| 3 | Frederick Muhlenberg
|
Anti-Administration | Pennsylvania-AL | 3rd | December 2, 1793 — March 4, 1795 |
| 4 |  Jonathan Dayton
|
Federalist | New Jersey-AL | 4th | December 7, 1795 — March 4, 1797 |
| 5th | May 15, 1797 — March 4, 1799 | ||||
| 5 |  Theodore Sedgwick
|
Federalist | Massachusetts-1 | 6th | December 2, 1799 — March 4, 1801 |
| 6 |  Nathaniel Macon
|
Democratic-Republican | North Carolina-5 | 7th | December 7, 1801 — March 4, 1803 |
| North Carolina-6 | 8th | October 17, 1803 — March 4, 1805 | |||
| 9th | December 2, 1805 — March 4, 1807 | ||||
| 7 |  Joseph Bradley Varnum
|
Democratic-Republican | Massachusetts-4 | 10th | October 26, 1807 — March 4, 1809 |
| 11th | May 22, 1809 — March 4, 1811 | ||||
| 8 |  Henry Clay
|
Democratic-Republican | Kentucky-3 | 12th | November 4, 1811 — March 4, 1813 |
| Kentucky-2 | 13th | May 24, 1813 — January 19, 1814 | |||
| 9 |  Langdon Cheves
|
Democratic-Republican | South Carolina-1 | January 19, 1814 — March 4, 1815 | |
| 10 | Henry Clay
|
Democratic-Republican | Kentucky-2 | 14th | December 4, 1815 — March 4, 1817 |
| 15th | December 1, 1817 — March 4, 1819 | ||||
| 16th | December 6, 1819 — October 28, 1820 | ||||
| 11 |  John W. Taylor
|
Democratic-Republican | New York-11 | November 15, 1820 — March 4, 1821 | |
| 12 |  Philip Pendleton Barbour
|
Democratic-Republican | Virginia-11 | 17th | December 4, 1821 — March 4, 1823 |
| 13 | Henry Clay
|
Democratic-Republican | Kentucky-3 | 18th | December 1, 1823 — March 4, 1825 |
| 14 | John W. Taylor
|
National Republican | New York-17 | 19th | December 5, 1825 — March 4, 1827 |
| 15 |  Andrew Stevenson
|
Democratic | Virginia-9 | 20th | December 3, 1827 — March 4, 1829 |
| 21st | December 7, 1829 — March 4, 1831 | ||||
| 22nd | December 5, 1831 — March 4, 1833 | ||||
| Virginia-11 | 23rd | December 2, 1833 — June 2, 1834 | |||
| 16 |  John Bell
|
Whig | Tennessee-7 | 23rd | June 2, 1834 — March 4, 1835 |
| 17 |  James Polk
|
Democratic | Tennessee-9 | 24th | December 7, 1835 — March 4, 1837 |
| 25th | September 4, 1837 — March 4, 1839 | ||||
| 18 | .jpg) Robert M. T. Hunter
|
Whig | Virginia-9 | 26th | December 16, 1839 — March 4, 1841 |
| 19 |  John White
|
Whig | Kentucky-9 | 27th | May 31, 1841 — March 4, 1843 |
| 20 |  John Winston Jones
|
Democratic | Virginia-6 | 28th | December 4, 1843 — March 4, 1845 |
| 21 |  John Wesley Davis
|
Democratic | Indiana-6 | 29th | December 1, 1845 — March 4, 1847 |
| 22 |  Robert Charles Winthrop
|
Whig | Massachusetts-1 | 30th | December 6, 1847 — March 4, 1849 |
| 23 |  Howell Cobb
|
Democratic | Georgia-6 | 31st | December 22, 1849 — March 4, 1851 |
| 24 |  Linn Boyd
|
Democratic | Kentucky-1 | 32nd | December 1, 1851 — March 4, 1853 |
| 33rd | December 5, 1853 — March 4, 1855 | ||||
| 25 |  Nathaniel Prentice Banks
|
American/Republican* | Massachusetts-7 | 34th | February 2, 1856 — March 4, 1857 |
| 26 |  James Lawrence Orr
|
Democratic | South Carolina-5 | 35th | December 7, 1857 — March 4, 1859 |
| 27 |  William Pennington
|
Republican | New Jersey-5 | 36th | February 1, 1860 — March 4, 1861 |
| 28 |  Galusha A. Grow
|
Republican | Pennsylvania-14 | 37th | July 4, 1861 — March 4, 1863 |
| 29 |  Schuyler Colfax
|
Republican | Indiana-9 | 38th | December 7, 1863 — March 4, 1865 |
| 39th | December 4, 1865 — March 4, 1867 | ||||
| 40th | March 4, 1867 — March 3, 1869 | ||||
| 30 |  Theodore Medad Pomeroy
|
Republican | New York-24 | March 3, 1869 — March 4, 1869 | |
| 31 |  James G. Blaine
|
Republican | Maine-3 | 41st | March 4, 1869 — March 4, 1871 |
| 42nd | March 4, 1871 — March 4, 1873 | ||||
| 43rd | March 4, 1873 — May 13, 1874 | ||||
| 31.1 [1] [2] |  Joseph H. Rainey
|
Republican | South Carolina-1 | May 13, 1874 | |
| 31 | James G. Blaine
|
Republican | Maine-3 | May 14, 1874 — March 4, 1875 | |
| 32 |  Michael C. Kerr
|
Democratic | Indiana-3 | 44th | December 6, 1875 — August 19, 1876 |
| 33 |  Samuel J. Randall
|
Democratic | Pennsylvania-3 | December 4, 1876 — March 4, 1877 | |
| 45th | October 15, 1877 — March 4, 1879 | ||||
| 46th | March 18, 1879 — March 4, 1881 | ||||
| 34 |  J. Warren Keifer
|
Republican | Ohio-8 | 47th | December 5, 1881 — March 4, 1883 |
| 35 |  John Griffin Carlisle
|
Democratic | Kentucky-6 | 48th | December 3, 1883 — March 4, 1885 |
| 49th | December 7, 1885 — March 4, 1887 | ||||
| 50th | December 5, 1887 — March 4, 1889 | ||||
| 36 |  Thomas Brackett Reed
|
Republican | Maine-1 | 51st | December 2, 1889 — March 4, 1891 |
| 37 |  Charles Frederick Crisp
|
Democratic | Georgia-3 | 52nd | December 8, 1891 — March 4, 1893 |
| 53rd | August 7, 1893 — March 4, 1895 | ||||
| 38 | Thomas Brackett Reed
|
Republican | Maine-1 | 54th | December 2, 1895 — March 4, 1897 |
| 55th | March 15, 1897 — March 4, 1899 | ||||
| 39 |  David B. Henderson
|
Republican | Iowa-3 | 56th | December 4, 1899 — March 4, 1901 |
| 57th | December 2, 1901 — March 4, 1903 | ||||
| 40 |  Joseph Gurney Cannon
|
Republican | Illinois-18 | 58th | November 9, 1903 — March 4, 1905 |
| 59th | December 4, 1905 — March 4, 1907 | ||||
| 60th | December 2, 1907 — March 4, 1909 | ||||
| 61st | March 15, 1909 — March 4, 1911 | ||||
| 41 |  Champ Clark
|
Democratic | Missouri-9 | 62nd | April 4, 1911 — March 4, 1913 |
| 63rd | April 7, 1913 — March 4, 1915 | ||||
| 64th | December 6, 1915 — March 4, 1917 | ||||
| 65th | April 2, 1917 — March 4, 1919 | ||||
| 42 |  Frederick Gillett
|
Republican | Massachusetts-2 | 66th | May 19, 1919 — March 4, 1921 |
| 67th | April 11, 1921 — March 4, 1923 | ||||
| 68th | December 3, 1923 — March 4, 1925 | ||||
| 43 |  Nicholas Longworth
|
Republican | Ohio-1 | 69th | December 7, 1925 — March 4, 1927 |
| 70th | December 5, 1927 — March 4, 1929 | ||||
| 71st | April 15, 1929 — March 4, 1931 | ||||
| 44 |  John Nance Garner
|
Democratic | Texas-15 | 72nd | December 7, 1931 — March 4, 1933 |
| 45 |  Henry T. Rainey
|
Democratic | Illinois-20 | 73rd | March 9, 1933 — August 19, 1934 |
| 46 |  Joseph Wellington Byrns
|
Democratic | Tennessee-5 | 74th | January 3, 1935 — June 4, 1936 |
| 47 |  William B. Bankhead
|
Democratic | Alabama-7 | June 4, 1936 — January 3, 1937 | |
| 75th | January 5, 1937 — January 3, 1939 | ||||
| 76th | January 3, 1939 — September 15, 1940 | ||||
| 48 |  Sam Rayburn
|
Democratic | Texas-4 | September 16, 1940 — January 3, 1941 | |
| 77th | January 3, 1941 — January 3, 1943 | ||||
| 78th | January 6, 1943 — January 3, 1945 | ||||
| 79th | January 3, 1945 — January 3, 1947 | ||||
| 49 |  Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
|
Republican | Massachusetts-14 | 80th | January 3, 1947 — January 3, 1949 |
| 50 | Sam Rayburn
|
Democratic | Texas-4 | 81st | January 3, 1949 — January 3, 1951 |
| 82nd | January 3, 1951 — January 3, 1953 | ||||
| 51 | Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
|
Republican | Massachusetts-14 | 83rd | January 3, 1953 — January 3, 1955 |
| 52 | Sam Rayburn
|
Democratic | Texas-4 | 84th | January 3, 1955 — January 3, 1957 |
| 85th | January 3, 1957 — January 3, 1959 | ||||
| 86th | January 7, 1959 — January 3, 1961 | ||||
| 87th | January 3, 1961 — November 16, 1961 | ||||
| 53 |  John W. McCormack
|
Democratic | Massachusetts-12 | January 10, 1962 — January 3, 1963 | |
| Massachusetts-9 | 88th | January 9, 1963 — January 3, 1965 | |||
| 89th | January 4, 1965 — January 3, 1967 | ||||
| 90th | January 10, 1967 — January 3, 1969 | ||||
| 91st | January 3, 1969 — January 3, 1971 | ||||
| 54 |  Carl Albert
|
Democratic | Oklahoma-3 | 92nd | January 21, 1971 — January 3, 1973 |
| 93rd | January 3, 1973 — January 3, 1975 | ||||
| 94th | January 14, 1975 — January 3, 1977 | ||||
| 55 |  Tip O'Neill
|
Democratic | Massachusetts-8 | 95th | January 4, 1977 — January 3, 1979 |
| 96th | January 15, 1979 — January 3, 1981 | ||||
| 97th | January 5, 1981 — January 3, 1983 | ||||
| 98th | January 3, 1983 — January 3, 1985 | ||||
| 99th | January 3, 1985 — January 3, 1987 | ||||
| 56 |  Jim Wright
|
Democratic | Texas-12 | 100th | January 6, 1987 — January 3, 1989 |
| 101st | January 3, 1989 — June 6, 1989 | ||||
| 57 |  Tom Foley
|
Democratic | Washington-5 | June 6, 1989 — January 3, 1991 | |
| 102nd | January 3, 1991 — January 3, 1993 | ||||
| 103rd | January 5, 1993 — January 3, 1995 | ||||
| 58 |  Newt Gingrich
|
Republican | Georgia-6 | 104th | January 4, 1995 — January 3, 1997 |
| 105th | January 7, 1997 — January 3, 1999 | ||||
| 59 |  Dennis Hastert
|
Republican | Illinois-14 | 106th | January 6, 1999 — January 3, 2001 |
| 107th | January 3, 2001 — January 3, 2003 | ||||
| 108th | January 7, 2003 — January 3, 2005 | ||||
| 109th | January 3, 2005 — January 3, 2007 | ||||
| 60 |  Nancy Pelosi
|
Democratic | California-8 | 110th | January 4, 2007 — January 3, 2009 |
| 111th | January 6, 2009 — January 3, 2011 | ||||
| 61 |  John Boehner
|
Republican | Ohio-8 | 112th | January 5, 2011 — January 3, 2013 |
| 113th | January 3, 2013 — January 3, 2015 | ||||
| 114th | January 6, 2015 — October 29, 2015 | ||||
| 62 |  Paul Ryan
|
Republican | Wisconsin-1 | 114th | October 29, 2015 — January 3, 2017 |
| 115th | January 3, 2017 — January 3, 2019 | ||||
| 63 |  Nancy Pelosi
|
Democratic | California-12[3] | 116th | January 3, 2019 — January 3, 2021 |
| 117th | January 3, 2021 — January 3, 2023 | ||||
| 64 |  Kevin McCarthy
|
Republican | California-32 | 118th | January 7, 2023 — October 3, 2023 |
| 65 |  Mike Johnson
|
Republican | Louisiana-4 | 118th | October 25, 2023 — Present |
List of living former speakers
| Speaker | Years in office |  Date of birth (and age)
|
|---|---|---|
| 1995–1999 | June 17, 1943 | |
| 1999–2007 | January 2, 1942 | |
| 2011–2015 | November 17, 1949 | |
| 2015–2019 | January 29, 1970 | |
| 2007–2011, 2019–2023 | March 26, 1940 | |
| 2023 | January 26, 1965 |
Speaker Of The United States House Of Representatives Media
Patrick McHenry acted as speaker pro tempore in October 2023, following the removal of Kevin McCarthy.
Frederick Muhlenberg (1789–1791, 1793–1795) was the first speaker.
Henry Clay (1811–1814, 1815–1820, 1823–1825) used his influence as speaker to ensure the passage of measures he favored.
Thomas Brackett Reed (1889–1891, 1895–1899) was one of the most powerful speakers.
Sam Rayburn (1940–1947; 1949–1953; and 1955–1961) was the longest serving speaker.
Nancy Pelosi (first woman elected as U.S. House Speaker) behind President George W. Bush at the 2007 State of the Union Address
Kevin McCarthy became the first Speaker to be successfully removed from office in October 2023
Speaker Tip O'Neill meeting with President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush on June 1, 1981.
James Polk is the only Speaker (1835–1839) to have also served as President of the United States (1845–1849).
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References
- ↑ 11.Congressional Globe, House, 42nd Cong., 2nd sess. (13 May 1872): 3383.
- ↑ 12.The date Joseph Rainey was Speaker pro tempore is not known. Most sources claim Representative Rainey presided over the House during an Indian appropriations debate in May 1874. See, for example, an early secondary work, Samuel Denny Smith, The Negro in Congress: 1870–1901 (Port Washington, NY: Kennikat Press, Inc., 1940): 47–48. Most subsequent sources cite Smith. Yet the New York Herald published an article reporting that Rainey served as Speaker pro tempore on April 29; see “A Liberated Slave in the Speaker’s Chair,” 30 April 1874, New York Herald: 9. Similar accounts exist in the Baltimore Sun, the Charleston News and Courier, and the African-American newspaper The New National Era, though these reports cite April 29 and April 30. There is no mention of Rainey’s presiding in the Congressional Record or the House Journal for either date: Congressional Record, House, 43rd Cong., 1st sess. (29–30 April 1874): 3457–3476, 3490–3507; House Journal, 43rd Cong., 1st sess. (29–30 April 1874): 877–885.
- ↑ Pelosi, Nancy. "Nancy Pelosi". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-18.