The House of Representatives, with its large membership, has
chosen majority and minority leaders since the 19th century to
expedite legislative business and to keep their parties united.
These leaders are elected every two years in secret balloting
of the party caucus or conference. A list of House majority and
minority leaders from 1899 to present is available below.
The role of the majority leader has been defined by history
and tradition. This officer is charged with scheduling legislation
for floor consideration; planning the daily, weekly, and annual
legislative agendas; consulting with Members to gauge party sentiment;
and, in general, working to advance the goals of the majority
party.
The minority leader serves as floor leader of the "loyal opposition," and
is the minority counterpart to the Speaker. Although many of
the basic leadership responsibilities of the minority and majority
leaders are similar, the minority leader speaks for minority
party and its policies and works to protect the minority's rights.
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56th |
(1899-1901) |
Sereno E. Payne (R-NY) |
James D. Richardson (D-TN) |
57th |
(1901-1903) |
Sereno E. Payne (R-NY) |
James D. Richardson (D-TN) |
58th |
(1903-1905) |
Sereno E. Payne (R-NY) |
John Sharp Williams (D-MS) |
59th |
(1905-1907) |
Sereno E. Payne (R-NY) |
John Sharp Williams (D-MS) |
60th |
(1907-1908) |
Sereno E. Payne (R-NY) |
John Sharp Williams (D-MS) |
60th |
(1908-1909) |
Sereno E. Payne (R-NY) |
James Beauchamp Clark (D-MO) |
61st |
(1909-1911) |
Sereno E. Payne (R-NY) |
James Beauchamp Clark (D-MO) |
62nd |
(1911-1913) |
Oscar W. Underwood (D-AL) |
James R. Mann (R-IL) |
63rd |
(1913-1915) |
Oscar W. Underwood (D-AL) |
James R. Mann (R-IL) |
64th |
(1915-1917) |
Claude Kitchin (D-NC) |
James R. Mann (R-IL) |
65th |
(1917-1919) |
Claude Kitchin (D-NC) |
James R. Mann (R-IL) |
66th |
(1919-1921) |
Frank W. Mondell (R-WY) |
James Beauchamp Clark (D-MO) |
67th |
(1921-1923) |
Frank W. Mondell (R-WY) |
Claude Kitchin (D-NC) |
68th |
(1923-1925) |
Nicholas Longworth (R-OH) |
Finis J. Garrett (D-TN) |
69th |
(1925-1927) |
John Q. Tilson (R-CT) |
Finis J. Garrett (D-TN) |
70th |
(1927-1929) |
John Q. Tilson (R-CT) |
Finis J. Garrett (D-TN) |
71st |
(1929-1931) |
John Q. Tilson (R-CT) |
John N. Garner (D-TX) |
72nd |
(1931-1933) |
Henry T. Rainey (D-IL) |
Bertrand H. Snell (R-NY) |
73rd |
(1933-1935) |
Joseph W. Byrns (D-TN) |
Bertrand H. Snell (R-NY) |
74th |
(1935-1937) |
William B. Bankhead (D-AL) |
Bertrand H. Snell (R-NY) |
75th |
(1937-1939) |
Sam Rayburn (D-TX) |
Bertrand H. Snell (R-NY) |
76th |
(1939-1940) |
Sam Rayburn (D-TX) |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-MA) |
76th |
(1940-1941) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-MA) |
77th |
(1941-1942) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-MA) |
78th |
(1943-1945) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-MA) |
79th |
(1945-1947) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-MA) |
80th |
(1947-1949) |
Charles A. Halleck (R-IN) |
Sam Rayburn (D-TX) |
81st |
(1949-1951) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-MA) |
82nd |
(1951-1953) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-MA) |
83rd |
(1953-1955) |
Charles A. Halleck (R-IN) |
Sam Rayburn (D-TX) |
84th |
(1955-1957) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-MA) |
85th |
(1957-1959) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-MA) |
86th |
(1959-1961) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Charles A. Halleck (R-IN) |
87th |
(1961-1962) |
John W. McCormack (D-MA) |
Charles A. Halleck (R-IN) |
87th |
(1962-1963) |
Carl B. Albert (D-OK) |
Charles A. Halleck (R-IN) |
88th |
(1963-1965) |
Carl B. Albert (D-OK) |
Charles A. Halleck (R-IN) |
89th |
(1965-1967) |
Carl B. Albert (D-OK) |
Gerald R. Ford (R-MI) |
90th |
(1967-1969) |
Carl B. Albert (D-OK) |
Gerald R. Ford (R-MI) |
91st |
(1969-1971) |
Carl B. Albert (D-OK) |
Gerald R. Ford (R-MI) |
92nd |
(1971-1973) |
Hale Boggs (D-LA) |
Gerald R. Ford (R-MI) |
93rd |
-1973 |
Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. (D-MA) |
Gerald R. Ford (R-MI) |
93rd |
(1974-1975) |
Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. (D-MA) |
John J. Rhodes (R-AZ) |
94th |
(1975-1977) |
Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. (D-MA) |
John J. Rhodes (R-AZ) |
95th |
(1977-1979) |
James C. Wright, Jr. (D-TX) |
John J. Rhodes (R-AZ) |
96th |
(1979-1981) |
James C. Wright, Jr. (D-TX) |
John J. Rhodes (R-AZ) |
97th |
(1981-1983) |
James C. Wright, Jr. (D-TX) |
Robert H. Michel (R-IL) |
98th |
(1983-1984) |
James C. Wright, Jr. (D-TX) |
Robert H. Michel (R-IL) |
99th |
(1985-1986) |
James C. Wright, Jr. (D-TX) |
Robert H. Michel (R-IL) |
100th |
(1987-1988) |
Thomas S. Foley (D-WA) |
Robert H. Michel (R-IL) |
101st |
(1989-1990) |
Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) |
Robert H. Michel (R-IL) |
102nd |
(1991-1992) |
Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) |
Robert H. Michel (R-IL) |
103rd |
(1993-1994) |
Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) |
Robert H. Michel (R-IL) |
104th |
(1995-1996) |
Richard K. Armey (R-TX) |
Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) |
105th |
(1997-1998) |
Richard K. Armey (R-TX) |
Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) |
106th |
(1999-2000) |
Richard K. Armey (R-TX) |
Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) |
107th |
(2001-2002) |
Richard K. Armey (R-TX) |
Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) |
108th |
(2003-2004) |
Tom Delay (R-TX) |
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) |
| 109th |
(2005-September 2005)
(September 2005-2007)
|
Tom Delay (R-TX)
Roy Blunt (R-MO) Interim Majority Leader |
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) |
| 110th |
(2007-present) |
Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) |
John Boehner (R-Ohio) |
Congressional Research Service Reports 
