Who is the leader of the House?

The Speaker of the House is the leader of the House of Representatives, elected by the entire chamber on the opening day of each Congress. The Speaker holds one of the most powerful positions in American government and is mentioned in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, which says the House shall choose their Speaker and other Officers. Although the Constitution does not require the Speaker to be a member of the House, every Speaker in American history has been one.

The Speaker is typically the leader of the majority party in the House, chosen first by their party caucus and then formally elected by a vote of the full chamber. Notable Speakers have included Henry Clay, who held the post from 1811 to 1825 and shaped early American politics; Sam Rayburn, who served on and off from 1940 to 1961 and was instrumental in passing New Deal and civil rights legislation; Tip O'Neill, who clashed with President Reagan during the 1980s; Newt Gingrich, who led the Republican takeover of the House in 1994; and Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to hold the post, who served as Speaker from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023.

The Speaker controls the legislative agenda by deciding which bills come to the floor and when. The Speaker assigns members to committees, refers bills to committees, and recognizes members who wish to speak during debate. The Speaker also appoints members to select committees and conference committees that reconcile House and Senate versions of bills.

The Speaker is second in line to the presidency, after the Vice President, under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. If both the President and Vice President die, resign, or are unable to serve, the Speaker would become President. This succession rule places enormous responsibility on the office, which is why the Speaker is one of the most scrutinized political figures in the country.

Beyond legislative duties, the Speaker serves as the public face of the House majority, leading press conferences, negotiating with the President and Senate leadership, and shaping the party's national message.