Kids in the House - Grade School (2024)

The Speaker of the House is the only House leadership position mentioned in the Constitution. Over time, as the United States grew and the membership of the U.S. House of Representatives increased, a need for additional leaders developed. In addition to the Speaker of the House, current House leadership includes the majority and minority leaders and party whips.

Speaker of the House

The Speaker of the House acts as the leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. Every two years, the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives vote on the first day of each new Congress. Both of the major political parties nominate one candidate for the position of Speaker. The candidate from the majority party usually wins.

The Speaker of the House is responsible for administering the oath of office to the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, giving Members permission to speak on the House floor, designating Members to serve as Speaker pro tempore, counting and declaring all votes, appointing Members to committees, sending bills to committees, and signing bills and resolutions that pass in the House. The Speaker is also second in line, behind the Vice President, to become President should the President be unable to fulfill his or her duties.

While serving as Speaker of the House, the Speaker continues to serve the residents of his or her district and has all of the duties of other Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Traditionally, unlike other Members, the Speaker does not serve on committees or participate in floor debate.

Majority Leader

Like the Speaker, the majority leader is elected every two years. The majority party selects the majority leader during meetings before the start of a new Congress.

The majority leader is second-in-command to the Speaker of the House. The majority leader schedules legislation to be considered on the House floor; organizes daily, weekly, and yearly legislative plans; consults with Members to understand how party members feel about issues; and works to advance the goals of the party.

The majority leader continues to represent his or her district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Like the Speaker, however, the majority leader usually doesn’t serve on committees and does not lead floor debate on major issues.

Minority Leader

The minority leader is selected every two years during minority party meetings before the start of a new Congress. The minority leader serves as the floor leader of the “loyal opposition,” and minority counterpart to the Speaker of the House.

The minority leader is responsible for leading the minority party in the U.S. House of Representatives. These responsibilities include speaking for the party and its policies, protecting the minority’s rights, and nominating minority party Members to committees. Like the Speaker and the majority leader, the minority leader continues to serve the residents of his or her district. Usually, like the majority leader, the minority leader does not usually lead floor debate on major issues.

Party Whips

Party whips, like other House leaders, are elected during party meetings before the start of a new Congress. Each party selects at least one chief deputy whip and a number of deputy and other whips, each for a two year term. Whips are responsible for assisting the party leadership in bringing the party’s bills to the House floor, maintaining communication between the leadership of the party and its members, counting votes on key legislation, and persuading Members to vote for the party position. Whip notices and advisories to all party members about the legislative agenda are key products of both parties’ whip organizations and are posted on each party’s website.

Kids in the House - Grade School (2024)

FAQs

How are laws made for kids in the House? ›

After the bill has passed in the House, it is sent to the U.S. Senate. The Members of the Senate debate and vote on the bill. If the bill passes, it is sent to the President of the United States for approval. Once the President signs the bill, it is a law.

How old can you be to be in the House of Representatives? ›

To be elected, a representative must be at least 25 years old, a United States citizen for at least seven years and an inhabitant of the state he or she represents.

What are the responsibilities of the House of Representatives Kids? ›

Once elected, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives spend most of their weeks in Washington, D.C. proposing bills and making laws. Representatives are responsible for researching how proposed bills would affect their districts.

What are the three main duties of the Speaker of the House? ›

1 . Role of Speaker The Speaker is the presiding officer of the House and is charged with numerous duties and responsibilities by law and by the House rules. As the presiding officer of the House, the Speaker maintains order, manages its proceedings, and governs the administration of its business.

Which laws must start in the House? ›

Bills may originate in either the House of Representatives or the Senate with one notable exception. Article I, Section 7, of the Constitution provides that all bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives but that the Senate may propose, or concur with, amendments.

How does a bill become a law for elementary students? ›

The Bill Is a Law

If a bill has passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and has been approved by the President, or if a presidential veto has been overridden, the bill becomes a law and is enforced by the government.

Who is the youngest person in the House of Representatives? ›

Maxwell Frost (D-FL) is the youngest member of the 118th Congress at age 27. He succeeded one-term representative Madison Cawthorn, who was the youngest person elected to the U.S. Congress since Jed Johnson Jr. in 1964.

What is the minimum age to be in the Senate? ›

The Constitution sets three qualifications for service in the U.S. Senate: age (at least thirty years of age); U.S. citizenship (at least nine years); and residency in the state a senator represents at time of election.

How to be in the House of Representatives? ›

Members of the House are elected every two years and must be 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state (but not necessarily the district) they represent.

What are the qualifications for the House of Representatives for kids? ›

There are three requirements to run for election to the U.S. House of Representatives outlined in the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution says that candidates must be at least 25 years old, have lived in the United States for at least seven years, and live in the state they would represent.

How does the government work for kids? ›

The three main branches of the United States government represent the main institutions of many modern countries. Most have a leader, or ruler, a legislature of some kind to make the laws, and courts of law to help enforce the laws. In many nations these institutions are separate, and they have equal amounts of power.

What is the definition of representatives for kids? ›

: one that represents another or others : delegate. especially : a member of the house of representatives of the U.S. Congress or a state legislature.

How much does the Speaker of the House get paid? ›

Leadership and other positions
PositionSalary
President pro tempore of the Senate$193,400
Majority leader and minority leader of the Senate$193,400
Majority leader and minority leader of the House of Representatives$193,400
Speaker of the House of Representatives$223,500
3 more rows

What are the 7 responsibilities of the Speaker of the House? ›

The Speaker of the House is responsible for administering the oath of office to the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, giving Members permission to speak on the House floor, designating Members to serve as Speaker pro tempore, counting and declaring all votes, appointing Members to committees, sending bills ...

How powerful is the Speaker of the House? ›

The Speaker is the majority political party leader in the House, which on its own is one of the most powerful jobs in Washington. In addition, the Speaker controls the order of all institutional business on the House floor. The Speaker also votes on business as needed as a representative from a Congressional district.

How is a law made step by step for kids? ›

How a Bill Becomes a Law
  • STEP 1: The Creation of a Bill. Members of the House or Senate draft, sponsor and introduce bills for consideration by Congress. ...
  • STEP 2: Committee Action. ...
  • STEP 3: Floor Action. ...
  • STEP 4: Vote. ...
  • STEP 5: Conference Committees. ...
  • STEP 6: Presidential Action. ...
  • STEP 7: The Creation of a Law.

How does the House make laws? ›

First, a representative sponsors a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated or amended. If the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), the bill moves to the Senate.

How are rules made in the house? ›

In the House, most bills go to the Rules committee before reaching the floor. The committee adopts rules that will govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. A "closed rule" sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments.

Who creates laws for kids? ›

The legislative branch of a government holds the power to make laws. In the United States, Congress is the legislative branch. Congress also has the power to declare war. A few legislative agencies, like the Library of Congress, help Congress in its work.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 5397

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.