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“Addressing the woman presiding over the chamber, Republican Rep. Chip Roy stood up to nominate Rep. Byron Donalds for House speaker and said, ‘Madam speaker.'”

The congressman in his third term promptly corrected himself. “Madam clerk,” he acknowledged with a smile.

Once again, the speaker has not been elected. She has announced at the end that she has called for a vote to start round by round. Cheryl Johnson, a central figure in the drama, has illustrated her dayslong effort to select a speaker. The flub on the second day of voting has showcased the rising stature of the House clerk.

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A glimpse into Johnson and her recently significant position:

WHO IS CHERYL JO

According to her official biography, she is the first Black woman to preside over the House chamber. In 2019, Nancy Pelosi was sworn in as the first female Speaker, and she is the 36th person to serve as clerk.

For a period of 10 years, she worked at the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress, collaborating with congressional committees and serving as counsel for the oversight committee. Additionally, she held positions as a spokesperson and investigative chief counsel for the House Committee on Workforce and Education, where she worked for nearly two decades. Johnson, a native of New Orleans, has had an extensive career in the House.

A. Johnson graduated from the senior management program at Harvard University’s Kennedy F. John School of Government, and obtained her law degree from Howard University. She is also a graduate of the mass communication and journalism program at the University of Iowa.

Amidst a week filled with disputes, departing House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn expressed his gratitude to Johnson for her contributions in endorsing Hakeem Jeffries as the Democratic House leader. Democrats have consistently backed Jeffries in every round of voting, and this occurred on Friday.

Clyburn, who served as the third-ranking Democrat in the House and held the distinction of being the highest-ranking African American member, expressed his gratitude to the clerk for upholding the dignity and honor of the esteemed assembly. He urged everyone to reflect on the lasting impact they would leave behind, emphasizing the nation’s attention on them in the present moment.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CL

The clerk is in charge of calling each session day’s order and deciding procedural questions that may arise, as well as calling the roll. Members-elect are officially sworn in and a speaker is chosen until the chamber is in session each day.

While engaging in the debate, the clerk has the responsibility of utilizing her gavel to suppress a monotonous commotion of conversation in order to uphold order in the House chamber. The duty also falls upon the clerk.

After the speaker takes their place, the clerk’s role becomes more procedural, involving the certification and journaling of bills and resolutions, as well as the daily distribution and printing of records on the floor of the activity.

The clerk also serves as a go-between for the Senate and House, delivering and receiving messages when the chamber isn’t in session. They are elected to their position and will be replaced if they are expelled, resign, or pass away. They also supervise any staff members.

The records, including legislation tracking, transcribing floor proceedings, and retaining and processing House records, are transferred to the National Archives. In addition to their duties inside the chamber, the clerk also falls under the jurisdiction of other offices, of which there are several.

In April of 1789, John Beckley of Virginia was selected as the inaugural clerk of the House. From 1815 onwards, a distinct role emerged as the librarian of Congress, which was also served by the clerk.

How are clerks chosen?

The clerk is a professional employee of Congress who organizes a new session for the House when one of the elected officers of the House, every two years.

Johnson continues to hold his position, at least for the time being. Therefore, following the appointment of the new speaker for this session, the elections cannot take place until every caucus puts forward nominees for those roles.