Who replaces the speaker of the House if they die?
Current order of succession
| No. | Office | Incumbent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vice President | Kamala Harris |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Nancy Pelosi |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Patrick Leahy |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Antony Blinken |
Why is the Senate not based on population?
Small-state delegates hoped to protect states’ rights within a confederate system of government. During the 1787 convention, Sherman proposed that House representation be based on the population, while in the Senate, the states would be equally represented.
How are US House seats apportioned?
The Constitution provides for proportional representation in the U.S. House of Representatives and the seats in the House are apportioned based on state population according to the constitutionally mandated Census.
When the vice president is not in the Senate who is the presiding officer?
Next, Article One, Section 3, Clause 5 provides that in the absence of the vice president the Senate could choose a president pro tempore to temporarily preside and perform the duties of the chair.
Why are there currently 435 members in the House of Representatives?
Because the House wanted a manageable number of members, Congress twice set the size of the House at 435 voting members. The first law to do so was passed on August 8, 1911. President William H. Taft signed legislation increasing the membership of the House from 391 to 433.
What is the only formal method for ending a filibuster?
The cloture rule–Rule 22–is the only formal procedure that Senate rules provide for breaking a filibuster. A filibuster is an attempt to block or delay Senate action on a bill or other matter. Under cloture, the Senate may limit consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours of debate.