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![handle is hein.crs/crsaazy0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code 98-761 GOV
Updated March 10, 2008
Clerk of the House: Legislative and
Administrative Duties
Lorraine H. Tong
Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
The Clerk is the chief legislative official of the House of Representatives. Elected
by the House membership at the beginning of each Congress, the legislative duties of the
Clerk were defined during the First Congress.
Over time, other responsibilities have been added by law, House rules, policies
determined by the House Appropriations and Administration Committees, and by custom.
House Rule II establishes the duties of the Clerk. For more information on congressional
processes, see [http://www.crs.gov/products/guides/guidehome.shtml].
Duties and Responsibilities. At the commencement of each new Congress, the
Clerk presides over the House pending election of a Speaker, calls the roll, certifies newly
elected Members, preserves order and decorum, and decides all questions of order subject
to appeal by a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner. The Clerk is responsible
for maintaining a Journal, and after each session of Congress, distributing it to Members,
Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner; certifying the passage of all House bills and
joint resolutions; and receiving messages from the President and the Senate. The Clerk
also attests and affixes the House seal to all formal documents issued by the House,
including writs, warrants, and subpoenas. The Clerk is the official custodian of a
permanent set of House documents, including historical records of the House. In addition,
the clerk administers the House page program and serves on the House Page Board.
The Clerk is charged with the management of vacant congressional offices due to
resignations or death. When Members retire or leave Congress, the Clerk's staff provides
comprehensive consultations on disposing of and archiving official papers and office files.
House Rule VII charges the clerk with the preservation and availability of noncurrent
records of House committees and records of House officers.
The following staff support the clerk in carrying out the Clerk's legislative duties:
The journal clerk compiles the House's daily minutes (the official record
of the House, published in the Journal).
The tally clerk operates the electronic voting system, oversees the
recording of floor votes, receives committee reports, and prepares the](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/crsaazy0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)