If the president cannot fulfill his or her duties, you know that the vice president is next in line. But what happens if neither the president nor vice president can fulfill their duties? Do you know who is next in line to be president?
If you said the Speaker of the House of Representatives, you are correct! The Speaker of the House of Representatives is second in line to be president. The House speaker has many other duties, as well. The House speaker leads the House of Representatives, one of the two chambers in Congress, the legislative branch of government. The House speaker decides who can speak on the floor of the House of Representatives. The House speaker assigns members of the House of Representatives to committees. These committees investigate, debate, and report on legislation, or potential laws. The speaker of the House of Representatives also signs bills and resolutions that are passed by the House of Representatives.
Every two years, the House of Representatives elects its speaker. Each party nominates a candidate. Usually, the person nominated by the majority party wins the position. The Constitution does not say that the speaker must be a member of the House of Representatives. However, every speaker so far has been a member.
Over the years, there have been 55 House speakers. The first Speaker of the House of Representatives was Frederick Muhlenberg. Henry Clay, known as the Great Compromiser, had the ability to convince people that disagreed to work together. In 2007, Nancy Pelosi became the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives. On October 25, 2023, the House of Representatives elected a new Speaker. His name is Mike Johnson.
What Do You Think? Which duties of the Speaker of the House of Representatives seem most important to you? Why?
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