Clerk of the United States House of Representatives
Encyclopedia
The Clerk of the United States House of Representatives is an officer of the United States House of Representatives
, whose primary duty is to act as the chief record-keeper for the House.
Along with the other House officers, the Clerk is elected every two years when the House organizes for a new Congress. The majority and minority caucuses nominate candidates for the House officer positions after the election of the Speaker. The full House adopts a resolution to elect the officers, who will begin serving after they have taken the oath of office
.
The current Clerk is Karen L. Haas
, of Maryland. She replaced Lorraine C. Miller at the beginning of the 112th Congress. There are currently three Deputy Clerks: Robert Reeves, Maria A. Lopez, and Gigi Kelaher.
terms expire at each of these elections, but the terms of office of the entire House end. The Senate has remained in constant existence since it first went into session in 1789
but the House goes out of existence (and hence a "new" Congress takes office) every two years. To preserve the legal continuity of the House, the existence of the House is vested in the Clerk at the end of each two-year term. Thus, when the newly-elected members of the House gather on January 3, it is the Clerk who summons Representatives and convenes the new Congress for the first time. Accordingly, the Clerk gavel
s the House into session, chairs the body as it adopts its rules of order, and oversees the election of a Speaker under those rules. The Speaker then takes the chair and the House proceeds with its business (which includes electing a Clerk for the new session). Were the House not to vest such personality in the Clerk, there would be no legally empowered authority to convene the session and lead the House in its first few acts.
As stated in Rule II of the House Rules
, the Clerk is required to:
In addition, the Clerk:
, the duties are similar to those prescribed for the Secretary of the Continental Congress in March 1785.
In addition to the duties involved in organizing the House and presiding over its activities at the commencement of each Congress, the Clerk is charged with a number of legislative functions; some of these, such as the constitutional requirement of maintaining the House Journal, have existed from the time of the first Congress, whereas others have been added over the years because of changes in procedure and organization.
are high school juniors who serve as support staff for the U.S. House of Representatives, either for one of two school semester sessions or one of two summer sessions.
The Legislative Resource Center assists with the retrieval of legislative information and records of the House for congressional offices and the public. The Legislative Resource Center provides centralized access to all published documents originated and produced by the House and its committees, and to public disclosure documents. The Legislative Resource Center combines the responsibilities of several previously separate offices–the House Library, the House Document Room, the Office of Legislative Information, and the Office of Records and Registration.
Under Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk of the House is charged with the responsibility of maintaining two copies of printed documents of the House as well as the House Journal "in the library at his office" for use by the Members and staff. The Clerk has maintained a legislative and legal reference library since the Second Congress in 1792. Since the 104th Congress, the library services have been provided by Legislative Resource Center (LRC). The LRC has a small staff available to assist researchers and maintains a study area for library patrons.
The collection also consists of additional information related to legislation or the federal government:
, the House's website on Art and History, the print and online editions of Women in Congress, Black Americans in Congress, brochures with historical, archival and art-related information, along with other publications mandated by the House. The House Curator and Chief of the office, Farar Elliott, curates the House Collection of several thousand objects, and which duties includes: acquisition and care of collection objects, processing of artifact loans, and services to members and staff. The House Archivist, Robin Reeder, also processes the records of the House, oversees their eventual safe transfer to the National Archives
, and provides advice to committee staff and member office staff on records management.
The Office of Legislative Operations provides support pertaining to the Clerk's legislative duties. Among the duties of this office are receiving and processing official papers; compiling and publishing the daily minutes of House proceedings; operating the electronic voting system and overseeing the recording of votes; preparing messages to the Senate regarding passed legislation; and reading the bills, resolutions, amendments, motions, and Presidential messages that come before the House. The Office of Legislative Operations also prepares the summaries and schedules of House activities published in the Daily Digest section of the Congressional Record.
Telephone Number: (202) 225-7000
Office Hours : 9:00 AM–6:00 PM, Monday–Friday
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, whose primary duty is to act as the chief record-keeper for the House.
Along with the other House officers, the Clerk is elected every two years when the House organizes for a new Congress. The majority and minority caucuses nominate candidates for the House officer positions after the election of the Speaker. The full House adopts a resolution to elect the officers, who will begin serving after they have taken the oath of office
Oath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
.
The current Clerk is Karen L. Haas
Karen L. Haas
Karen Lehman Haas is an American government affairs official who has served as the 34th Clerk of the United States House of Representatives from December 2005 to February 2007...
, of Maryland. She replaced Lorraine C. Miller at the beginning of the 112th Congress. There are currently three Deputy Clerks: Robert Reeves, Maria A. Lopez, and Gigi Kelaher.
Duties
Every two years regular congressional elections are held. Only one-third of Senators'United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
terms expire at each of these elections, but the terms of office of the entire House end. The Senate has remained in constant existence since it first went into session in 1789
1st United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, five House seats were added for North Carolina and one House seat was added for Rhode Island when they ratified the Constitution.-Senate:* President: John Adams * President pro tempore: John Langdon...
but the House goes out of existence (and hence a "new" Congress takes office) every two years. To preserve the legal continuity of the House, the existence of the House is vested in the Clerk at the end of each two-year term. Thus, when the newly-elected members of the House gather on January 3, it is the Clerk who summons Representatives and convenes the new Congress for the first time. Accordingly, the Clerk gavel
Gavel
A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle and often struck against a sound block to enhance its sounding qualities. It is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the capacity of a chair or presiding officer. It is used to call...
s the House into session, chairs the body as it adopts its rules of order, and oversees the election of a Speaker under those rules. The Speaker then takes the chair and the House proceeds with its business (which includes electing a Clerk for the new session). Were the House not to vest such personality in the Clerk, there would be no legally empowered authority to convene the session and lead the House in its first few acts.
As stated in Rule II of the House Rules
Procedures of the United States House of Representatives
The United States Constitution provides that each "House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings," therefore each Congress of the United States, upon convening, approves its own governing rules of procedure. This clause has been interpreted by the courts to mean that a new Congress is not bound...
, the Clerk is required to:
- prepare the roll of Members-elect.
- call the Members-elect to order at the commencement of each Congress; to call the roll of Members-elect, and, pending the election of the Speaker, to preserve order and decorum; and to decide all questions of order.
- prepare and distribute at the beginning of every session a list of reports required to be made to Congress.
- note all questions of order, and decisions thereon, and to print these as an appendix to the Journal of each session of the House.
- prepare and print the House Journal after each session of Congress, and to distribute the Journal to Members and to the executiveGovernor (United States)In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
and the legislature of each State. - attest and affix the seal of the House to all writs, warrants, and subpoenas and formal documents issued by the House.
- certify the passage by the House of all bills and joint resolutions.
- receive messages from the President and the Senate when the House is not in session.
- prepare and deliver messages to the Senate and otherwise as requested by the House.
- retain, in the official library, a permanent set of the books and documents generated by the House.
- manage the office and supervise the staff of any vacant Member (the vacancy may have occurred by expulsion, resignationResignationA resignation is the formal act of giving up or quitting one's office or position. It can also refer to the act of admitting defeat in a game like chess, indicated by the resigning player declaring "I resign", turning his king on its side, extending his hand, or stopping the chess clock...
, or death) until a successor is elected.
In addition, the Clerk:
- acts as custodian of all noncurrent records of the House, pursuant to Rule VII.
- is responsible, under the supervision and direction of the U.S. House of Representatives Fine Arts Board, for the administration, maintenance, and display of the works of fine art and other similar property of the Congress for display or for other use in the House wing of the Capitol, the House Office Buildings, or any other location under the control of the House (P.L. 100-696). In addition, pursuant to the rules of the United States Preservation Commission, the Clerk may be asked to provide staff support and assistance to the Commission.
History
On April 1, 1789, the House of Representatives convened with its first quorum. Its initial order of business was the election of the Speaker, Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg, a Representative from Pennsylvania. The next order of business was the election of the Clerk, John Beckley, a citizen of Virginia. Although the Clerk's title is derived from that of the Clerk of the British House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, the duties are similar to those prescribed for the Secretary of the Continental Congress in March 1785.
In addition to the duties involved in organizing the House and presiding over its activities at the commencement of each Congress, the Clerk is charged with a number of legislative functions; some of these, such as the constitutional requirement of maintaining the House Journal, have existed from the time of the first Congress, whereas others have been added over the years because of changes in procedure and organization.
List of Clerks
| Name | State | Years |
|---|---|---|
| John Beckley | Virginia | 1789–1797 |
| Jonathan W. Condy | Pennsylvania | 1797–1799 |
| John H. Oswald | Pennsylvania | 1799–1801 |
| John J. Beckley John J. Beckley John James Beckley was an American political campaign manager and the first Librarian of the United States Congress, from 1802 to 1807... |
Virginia | 1801–1807 |
| Patrick Magruder Patrick Magruder Patrick Magruder was the second Librarian of the United States Congress, serving from 1807 to 1815.-Biography:Magruder was born on his family’s estate, Locust Grove, near Rockville in Montgomery County, Maryland. Magruder attended Princeton College and became a lawyer... |
Maryland | 1807–1815 |
| Thomas Dougherty Thomas Dougherty Thomas Dougherty is an American diplomat. He is the current United States Ambassador to Burkina Faso.-Biography:Thomas Dougherty is from Casper, Wyoming. He graduated from Brown University and joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1989. He was nominated to be the ambassador to Burkina Faso by... |
Kentucky | 1815–1822 |
| Matthew St. Clair Clarke Matthew St. Clair Clarke Matthew St. Clair Clarke was an American journalist, book author and politician. He was for seven terms Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.-Life:... |
Pennsylvania | 1822–1833 |
| Walter S. Franklin | Pennsylvania | 1833–1838 |
| Hugh A. Garland | Virginia | 1837–1841 |
| Matthew St. Clair Clarke Matthew St. Clair Clarke Matthew St. Clair Clarke was an American journalist, book author and politician. He was for seven terms Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.-Life:... |
Pennsylvania | 1841–1843 |
| Caleb J. McNulty | Ohio | 1843–1845 |
| Benjamin B. French | New Hampshire | 1845–1847 |
| Thomas J. Campbell | Tennessee | 1847–1850 |
| Richard M. Young Richard M. Young Richard Montgomery Young was a U.S. Senator from Illinois.Young was born in Fayette County, Kentucky and was admitted to the bar in 1814. In 1817, he moved his law practices to Jonesboro, Illinois and was appointed a Captain in the State Militia. He served in the Illinois state house from... |
Illinois | 1850–1851 |
| John W. Forney | Pennsylvania | 1851–1856 |
| William Cullom William Cullom William Cullom was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives. He was born on June 4, 1810 near Monticello, Kentucky in Wayne County. He attended the public schools and studied law in Lexington, Kentucky. He was admitted to the bar, and he practiced in the... |
Tennessee | 1856–1857 |
| James C. Allen James C. Allen James Cameron Allen was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Shelby County, Kentucky, Allen attended the public schools.He moved to Indiana in 1830.He studied law.... |
Illinois | 1857–1860 |
| John W. Forney | Pennsylvania | 1860–1861 |
| Emerson Etheridge Emerson Etheridge Henry Emerson Etheridge was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives for Tennessee's 9th congressional district.-Biography:... |
Tennessee | 1861–1863 |
| Edward McPherson Edward McPherson Edward McPherson was a prominent Pennsylvania newspaperman, attorney, and United States Congressman. As a director of the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association, he effected efforts to protect portions of the Gettysburg Battlefield.-Early life and career:McPherson was born in Gettysburg,... |
Pennsylvania | 1863–1875 |
| George M. Adams | Kentucky | 1875–1881 |
| Edward McPherson Edward McPherson Edward McPherson was a prominent Pennsylvania newspaperman, attorney, and United States Congressman. As a director of the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association, he effected efforts to protect portions of the Gettysburg Battlefield.-Early life and career:McPherson was born in Gettysburg,... |
Pennsylvania | 1881–1883 |
| John B. Clark, Jr. | Missouri | 1883–1889 |
| Edward McPherson Edward McPherson Edward McPherson was a prominent Pennsylvania newspaperman, attorney, and United States Congressman. As a director of the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association, he effected efforts to protect portions of the Gettysburg Battlefield.-Early life and career:McPherson was born in Gettysburg,... |
Pennsylvania | 1889–1891 |
| James Kerr James Kerr (Pennsylvania) James Kerr was a Member of the United States House of Representatives and later the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.-Biography:... |
Pennsylvania | 1891–1895 |
| Alexander McDowell Alexander McDowell Alexander McDowell was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:... |
Pennsylvania | 1895–1911 |
| South Trimble South Trimble South Trimble was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky. He was a prominent member of the famed South–Cockrell–Hargis family of Southern politicians.-Biography:... |
Kentucky | 1911–1919 |
| William Tyler Page William Tyler Page William Tyler Page , was best known for his authorship of the American's Creed. He was born in Frederick, Maryland, United States, a descendant of Carter Braxton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; and of the tenth U.S. President John Tyler. In 1881, at the age of 13, he travelled to... |
Maryland | 1919–1931 |
| South Trimble South Trimble South Trimble was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky. He was a prominent member of the famed South–Cockrell–Hargis family of Southern politicians.-Biography:... |
Kentucky | 1931–1947 |
| John Andrews | Massachusetts | 1947–1949 |
| Ralph R. Roberts | Indiana | 1949–1953 |
| Lyle O. Snader | Illinois | 1953–1955 |
| Ralph R. Roberts | Indiana | 1955–1967 |
| W. Pat Jennings William Pat Jennings William Pat Jennings was a United States Representative from Virginia. He was born on a farm in Camp in Smyth County, Virginia. He earned a B.S. degree from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, 1941. He entered the United States Army in July 1941 during World War II... |
Virginia | 1967–1977 |
| Edmund L. Henshaw, Jr. | Virginia | 1977–1983 |
| Benjamin J. Guthrie | Maryland | 1983–1987 |
| Donnald K. Anderson | California | 1987–1995 |
| Robin H. Carle Robin H. Carle -Biography:Ms Carle is a native of New Mexico. She attended Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota.She was executive Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services under George H. Bush. She was Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1997.Ms Carle joined The Century... |
Idaho | 1995–1998 |
| Jeff Trandahl Jeff Trandahl Jeffrey Joseph Trandahl served as the thirty-second Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected Clerk on January 6, 1999 and held office until November 18, 2005.-Personal:... |
South Dakota | 1999–2005 |
| Karen L. Haas Karen L. Haas Karen Lehman Haas is an American government affairs official who has served as the 34th Clerk of the United States House of Representatives from December 2005 to February 2007... |
Maryland | 2005–2007 |
| Lorraine C. Miller | Texas | 2007–2011 |
| Karen L. Haas Karen L. Haas Karen Lehman Haas is an American government affairs official who has served as the 34th Clerk of the United States House of Representatives from December 2005 to February 2007... |
Maryland | 2011–Present |
Offices and Services
In addition to the Clerk's Main Office, located in H154 of the U.S. Capitol, there are nine offices that fall under the Clerk's jurisdiction.Capitol Service Groups
The Capitol Service Groups provide support services to the maintenance of the Republican and Democratic Cloakrooms, the Lindy Claiborne Boggs Congressional Women’s Reading Room, the Members and Family Committee Room, and the Capitol Prayer Room.House Page Program
PagesUnited States House of Representatives Page
United States House of Representatives Page Program was a program run by the United States House of Representatives, under the office of the Clerk of the House, in which appointed high school juniors acted as non-partisan federal employees in the House of Representatives, providing supplemental...
are high school juniors who serve as support staff for the U.S. House of Representatives, either for one of two school semester sessions or one of two summer sessions.
Legislative Computer Systems (LCS)
The Legislative Computer Systems office provides technical support for offices under the Clerk and maintains the electronic voting system on the House floor.Legislative Resource Center (LRC)
The Legislative Resource Center provides information services to the House and the public through its four divisions:- Public Information (House documents, public access to statutory filings, legislative information),
- Records and Registration (point of entry for statutory filings),
- Library Services (research and reference of the House Library).
The Legislative Resource Center assists with the retrieval of legislative information and records of the House for congressional offices and the public. The Legislative Resource Center provides centralized access to all published documents originated and produced by the House and its committees, and to public disclosure documents. The Legislative Resource Center combines the responsibilities of several previously separate offices–the House Library, the House Document Room, the Office of Legislative Information, and the Office of Records and Registration.
Under Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk of the House is charged with the responsibility of maintaining two copies of printed documents of the House as well as the House Journal "in the library at his office" for use by the Members and staff. The Clerk has maintained a legislative and legal reference library since the Second Congress in 1792. Since the 104th Congress, the library services have been provided by Legislative Resource Center (LRC). The LRC has a small staff available to assist researchers and maintains a study area for library patrons.
Collection Contents
In addition to a reference collection of encyclopedias, congressional biographies, and statistical information about Congress, the following holdings are available:- House and Senate Journals (1st Congress to present)
- Congressional RecordCongressional RecordThe Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
and its predecessors (1st Congress to present) - House Reports and Documents (4th Congress to present)
- House Bills and Resolutions (6th Congress to present)
- House Committee Hearings (61st Congress to present)
- Senate Reports (30th Congress to present)
- Senate Documents (15th Congress to present)
- Congressional Directories (34th Congress to present)
- Precedents (Hinds & Cannon's, Deschler's)
The collection also consists of additional information related to legislation or the federal government:
- Code of Federal RegulationsCode of Federal RegulationsThe Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules and regulations published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government of the United States.The CFR is published by the Office of the Federal Register, an agency...
(CFR) - Federal RegisterFederal RegisterThe Federal Register , abbreviated FR, or sometimes Fed. Reg.) is the official journal of the federal government of the United States that contains most routine publications and public notices of government agencies...
- Compilation of Presidential Documents
- United States Statutes at LargeUnited States Statutes at LargeThe United States Statutes at Large, commonly referred to as the Statutes at Large and abbreviated Stat., are the official source for the laws and concurrent resolutions passed by the United States Congress...
- United States CodeUnited States CodeThe Code of Laws of the United States of America is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal laws of the United States...
- United States Code Annotated
- Federal ReporterFederal ReporterThe Federal Reporter is a case law reporter in the United States that is published by West Publishing. It begins with cases decided in 1880. It was preceded by Federal Cases...
(1st, 2nd, and 3rd Series) - Federal Supplement (1st and 2nd Series)
- United States ReportsUnited States ReportsThe United States Reports are the official record of the rulings, orders, case tables, and other proceedings of the Supreme Court of the United States. Opinions of the court in each case, prepended with a headnote prepared by the Reporter of Decisions, and any concurring or dissenting opinions are...
- United States Code Congressional and Administrative NewsUnited States Code Congressional and Administrative NewsThe United States Code Congressional and Administrative News is a West Group publication that collects selected Congressional and administrative materials for publication in a single resource. U.S.C.C.A.N. was first published in 1941 with the 1st Session of the 77th Congress and has been published...
(USCCAN) - Treaties
- Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
- Congressional QuarterlyCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
(Weekly Reports, Almanacs, and Others)
Use of Collection
The research and library materials of the LRC are maintained in closed stacks and can be retrieved by the LRC staff on request. Materials can be reviewed in the LRC reading room. Inquiries can be made at the main LRC desk. To facilitate research, it is most advantageous to call ahead to insure availability of materials and to have them retrieved before you visit.Library Users
Members and permanent employees of the House may check out books and other materials for short-term loans. No materials may leave the LRC before they are first signed out by a permanent staff member. As the LRC also functions as the permanent archives of House documents, some materials are deemed irreplaceable and may only be borrowed with the specific written permission of the Clerk. No LRC materials from the permanent collection may be removed from the Capitol compound or sent to district offices.Senate Bills and Hearings
The LRC retains Senate Journals, Reports, and Documents. However, we do not maintain Senate bills nor hearings. For more information about Senate bills and hearings, please visit the Senate's Legislative Activities section.Serial Set
The Serial Set is the compilation of all House and Senate Reports, Conference Reports, and House and Senate Documents published and bound into one set of documents. The LRC holds a complete Serial Set of House materials since the 4th Congress and of Senate material since the 30th Congress. When requesting these materials, please include the Congress from which the report or document originated.Office of History and Preservation (OHP)
The Office of History and Preservation collects, preserves, and interprets the heritage of the House. The office is responsible for the House's historical documentation and publications, oral history interviews with longtime staff, the House Collection of Fine Art and Artifacts, and the official records of the House from 1789 to the present. The Historian and Deputy Chief of the office, Matthew Wasniewski, is responsible for the print and online editions of the Biographical Directory of the United States CongressBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress as well as its predecessor, the Continental Congress...
, the House's website on Art and History, the print and online editions of Women in Congress, Black Americans in Congress, brochures with historical, archival and art-related information, along with other publications mandated by the House. The House Curator and Chief of the office, Farar Elliott, curates the House Collection of several thousand objects, and which duties includes: acquisition and care of collection objects, processing of artifact loans, and services to members and staff. The House Archivist, Robin Reeder, also processes the records of the House, oversees their eventual safe transfer to the National Archives
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
, and provides advice to committee staff and member office staff on records management.
Office of House Employment Counsel (OHEC)
This office provides advice about employment practices and acts as legal representation for all employing authorities in the House.Office of Legislative Operations
This office coordinates the services of the Bill and Enrolling Clerks, the Journal Clerks, the Tally Clerks, the Daily Digests, and the Floor Action Reporting.The Office of Legislative Operations provides support pertaining to the Clerk's legislative duties. Among the duties of this office are receiving and processing official papers; compiling and publishing the daily minutes of House proceedings; operating the electronic voting system and overseeing the recording of votes; preparing messages to the Senate regarding passed legislation; and reading the bills, resolutions, amendments, motions, and Presidential messages that come before the House. The Office of Legislative Operations also prepares the summaries and schedules of House activities published in the Daily Digest section of the Congressional Record.
Bill Clerks
A Bill Clerk receives and processes official papers including introduced bills and resolutions, amendments and additional co-sponsors.Journal Clerks
A Journal Clerk compiles the daily minutes of House proceedings and publishes these in the House Journal at the end of each session. The House Journal is the official record of the proceedings maintained in accordance with Article I, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution.Tally Clerks
A Tally Clerk operates the electronic voting system, oversees the recording of votes on the House Floor, receives reports of Committees, and prepares the Calendar of the United States House of Representatives and History of Legislation.Enrolling Clerks
An Enrolling Clerk prepares all messages to the Senate regarding passed legislation, the official engrossed copy of all House-passed measures, and the official enrollment of all House-originated measures that have cleared both bodies of Congress.Reading Clerks
A Reading Clerk is responsible for the reading of all bills, resolutions, amendments, motions and Presidential Messages that come before the House; reports formally to the Senate all legislative actions taken by the House.Office of Publication Services (OPS)
This office processes official print orders, such as those for letterhead and envelopes, for the House and produces official House publications, including the Official List of Members, the Capitol Directory Card, and the House Telephone Directory. This office also develops and maintains the Clerk’s official Web site and the Kids in the House Web site.Official Reporters
This office transcribes House proceedings verbatim for publication in the Congressional Record and provides stenographic support to committees for all hearings, meetings, and mark-up sessions.Contact information
Mailing Address: U.S. Capitol, Room H154, Washington, DC 20515-6601Telephone Number: (202) 225-7000
Office Hours : 9:00 AM–6:00 PM, Monday–Friday