Dean of the United States House of Representatives

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox political post

The dean of the United States House of Representatives is the longest continuously serving member of the House. The current dean is Hal Rogers, a Republican from Kentucky, who has served in the House since 1981. The dean is a symbolic post, whose only customary duty is to swear in a speaker of the House after the speaker is elected.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This responsibility was first recorded in 1819 but has not been observed continuously – at times, the speaker-elect was the current dean or the speaker-elect preferred to be sworn in by a member of their own party when the dean belonged to another party. The dean comes forward on the House Floor to administer the oath to the speaker-elect, before the new speaker then administers the oath to the other members.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

While deans perform the swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected speaker, they do not preside over the election of a speaker, as do the Father of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom and the dean of the Canadian House of Commons (that duty falls to the previous House's Clerk).

Because of other privileges associated with seniority, the dean is usually allotted some of the most desirable office space, and is generally either chair or ranking minority member of an influential committee.

It is unclear when the position first achieved concrete recognition, though the seniority system and increasing lengths of service emerged in the early 20th century. As late as 1924, Frederick H. Gillett was dean, and also speaker, before becoming a senator. Modern deans move into their positions so late in their careers that a move to the Senate is highly unlikely. When Ed Markey broke Gillett's record for time in the House before moving to the Senate in 2013 he was still decades junior to the sitting dean.

The deanship can change hands unexpectedly. In the 1952 election, Adolph J. Sabath became the first representative elected to a 24th term, breaking the record of 23 terms first set by former speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon, whose service had been non-consecutive, whereas Sabath's was not. North Carolina's Robert L. Doughton had not contested that election as he was retiring at the age of 89 years and two months, a House age record broken in 1998 by Sidney R. Yates, and again by Ralph Hall in 2012. However, Sabath died before the new term began and Doughton was dean for the old term's final months before Speaker Sam Rayburn became dean in the new Congress.

List of deans of the House

Years as dean are followed by name, party, state, and start of service in Congress.

All the members of the First Congress had equal seniority (as defined for the purpose of this article), but Muhlenberg, as the speaker, was the first member to be sworn in. Muhlenberg, Hartley and Thatcher were among the 13 members who attended the initial meeting of the House on March 4, 1789.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, some state delegations to the House were often not elected until after the term had begun. To avoid confusion, this fact is ignored in the list below.

Became dean End date Dean Party State Seniority from Speaker(s)
Template:Sort Template:Sort Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=4 Template:Party shading/Federalist |Federalist PA Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Federalist |Template:Sortname
(1789–1791)
Template:Party shading/Federalist |Jonathan Trumbull Jr.
(1791–1793)
Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Template:Sortname
(1793–1795)
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Federalist |Jonathan Dayton
(1795–1799)
Template:Sort Template:Sort Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-uaTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Federalist |Federalist PA
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Federalist |Theodore Sedgwick
(1799–1801)
Template:Sort Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Federalist |Federalist MA
Template:Sort Template:Sort Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Federalist |Federalist NC Template:Sort rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Nathaniel Macon
(1801–1807)
Template:Sort Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Democratic-Republican PA
Template:Nowrap Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Democratic-Republican NC Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Template:Sortname
(1807–1811)
Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Template:Sortname
(1811–1814)
Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Template:Sortname
(1814–1815)
Template:Nowrap Template:Sort Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Democratic-Republican NC Template:Sort rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Template:Sortname
(1815–1820)
Template:Sort Template:Sort Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Federalist |Federalist CT Template:Sort
Template:Sort Template:Sort Template:Sortname rowspan=4 Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Democratic-Republican
(1817–1825) 		VA Template:Sort
Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Template:Sortname
(1820–1821)
Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Template:Sortname
(1821–1823)
Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Template:Sortname
(1823–1825)
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/National Republican |National Republican
(1825–1830) 		Template:Party shading/National Republican |Template:Sortname
(1825–1827)
rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1827–1834)
Template:Sort Template:Sort Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Jacksonian |Jacksonian VA Template:Sort
Template:Sort Template:Sort Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/National Republican |National Republican
(1833–1837) 		NC Template:Sort
Template:Party shading/Whig |Template:Sortname
(1834–1835)
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1835–1839)
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Whig |Whig
(1837–1842) 		Template:Party shading/Whig |Template:Sortname
(1839–1841)
Template:Party shading/Whig |Template:Sortname
(1841–1843)
Template:Sort Template:Sort Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Whig |Whig VT Template:Sort rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1843–1845)
Template:Sort Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic AL
Template:Sort Template:Sort Error creating thumbnail: Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-uaTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Whig |Whig MA Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1845–1847)
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Whig |Template:Sortname
(1847–1849)
Template:Sort File:JamesIverMcKay.png Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic NC
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:LinnBoyd.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic KY Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1849–1851)
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1851–1856)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Joshua Reed Giddings 35th Congress 1859.jpg Template:Sortname rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican OH Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1856–1857)
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1857–1860)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:John smith phelps.jpg Template:Sortname rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic MO Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1860–1861)
Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1861–1863)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:EBWashburne.jpg Template:Sortname rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican IL Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1863–1869)
Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1869)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:HenryLDawes (1).jpg Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican MA Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1869–1875)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:William D. Kelley.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=5 Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican PA Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1875–1876)
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(1876–1881)
Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1881–1883)
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1883–1889)
rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1889–1891)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Samuel J. Randall - Brady-Handy (cropped).jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic PA Template:Sort
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:JGCannon.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican IL Template:Sort
March 22, 1892 File:Roger Quarles Mills (1832-1911) (10506754625) (1).jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic TX rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1891–1895)
Template:Sort File:James Henderson Blount - Brady-Handy.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic GA
Template:Sort File:Bland.png Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic MO
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:DavidBCulberson.jpg Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic TX Template:Sort rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1895–1899)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:TBReed.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-uaTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican ME Template:Sort
Template:Sort File:Alfred C. Harmer - Brady-Handy (cropped).jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican PA rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1899–1903)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:HenryHBingham.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican PA Template:Sort
Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1903–1911)
rowspan=4 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1911–1919)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:DALZEL, J. HONORABLE LCCN2016856563.jpg Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican PA Template:Sort
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:SerenoEPayne.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican NY Template:Sort
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:JONES, W.A. HONORABLE LCCN2016857019 (cropped).jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic VA Template:Sort
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Henry A. Cooper.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-uaTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican WI Template:Sort rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1919–1925)
Template:Sort File:FrederickHGillett.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican MA
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:ThomasSButler1921.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican PA Template:Sort rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1925–1931)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Gilbert N. Haugen 1929.jpg Template:Sortname rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican IA Template:Sort
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1931–1933)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:POU, E.W. HONORABLE LCCN2016860371.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic NC Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1933–1935)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Adolph J. Sabath cph.3c27913.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=5 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic IL Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1935–1936)
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1936–1940)
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1940–1947)
Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1947–1949)
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1949–1953)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Robert Lee Doughton (cropped).jpg Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic NC Template:Sort
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn (cropped).jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-uaTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic TX Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1953–1955)
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1955–1961)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Congressman Carl Vinson.jpg Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic GA Template:Sort rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1962–1971)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Emanuel Celler Painting.jpg Template:Sortname rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic NY Template:Sort
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1971–1977)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:John William Wright Patman.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic TX Template:Sort
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:CAC CC 001 18 8 0000 0771.jpg Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic TX Template:Sort rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1977–1987)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Jamie Whitten.png Template:Sortname rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic MS Template:Sort
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1987–1989)
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(1989–1995)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:John dingell.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=4 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic MI Template:Sort Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1995–1999)
Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(1999–2007)
Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(2007–2011)
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(2011–2015)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:John Conyers official photo.jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic MI Template:Sort
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(2015–2019)
Template:Sort Template:Sort File:Don Young, official portrait, 116th Congress (cropped).jpg Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn-ua rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican AK Template:Sort
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Template:Sortname
(2019–2023)
Template:Sort Incumbent File:Hal Rogers 116th Congress.jpg Template:Sortname rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican KY Template:Sort
Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(2023)
Template:Party shading/Republican |Template:Sortname
(2023–present)

See also

References

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Notes

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