Speaker of the House

Authorized by the First Amendment and second in line to the Presidency the Speaker is elected by the house. As specified in the rules and customs of the House, responsibilities of the Speaker include: * Calling the House to order. * Administering the oath of office to House Members. * Presiding over debate, recognizing Members to speak on the floor, and preserving order; or delegating that power to another Member of Congress. * Setting the legislative agenda. * Leading the appointment process for the chairs of the various committees and subcommittees in the House, including conference committees which negotiate final versions of legislation.