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Today's Congress Congress: The Basics Congress: Teaching It
Speakers of the House
 

Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution states: "The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers." And when Congress first convened in 1789, the House chose Frederick A.C. Muhlenburg as its Speaker. The Speaker acts as leader of the House and combines several roles: the institutional role of presiding officer and administrative head of the House, the partisan role of leader of the majority party in the House, and the representative role of an elected Member of the House. The Speaker of the House is second in line to succeed the President.


Source: http://clerk.house.gov/histHigh/Congressional_History/speakers.php


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Leaders in Today’s Congress Leadership Overview Leadership Offices in the House Leadership Positions Speakers of the House House Majority and Minority Leaders Senate Majority and Minority Leaders Senate Presidents Pro Tempore Vice Presidents of the U.S. Congressional Leadership Statements Joint Senate-House Republican Leadership Press Statements, 1961-68 The Speaker of the House on the Nature of His Office, 2003 Robert H. Michel Leadership Statements, 1980-92 Congressional Research Service Reports on Congress