Daily Time of Meeting:
The daily hour of meeting is set by a House Resolution generally adopted on the first day of each session. On January 3, 2025, the House adopted H. Res. 6, which established the following House meeting times:
- 2:00 p.m. on Monday;
- 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday (or 2:00 p.m. if no legislative business was conducted on the preceding Monday);
- 12:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays; and
- 9:00 a.m. on all other days of the week.
The hour of meeting can be changed by order of the House at any time, usually by unanimous consent after consultation between both party leaderships.
A Member’s office is notified of any time changes by the Whip’s office, usually by email. If in doubt, a Member’s office should check with the Republican Cloakroom at 225-7350 or the Democratic Cloakroom at 225-7330.
The Speaker as Presiding Officer:
The Speaker traditionally opens the session each day, but more commonly designates a “Speaker pro tempore,” who is a Member of the Majority party, to serve that day. The Speaker or Speaker pro tempore may preside through one-minute speeches and other House business (such as debate on special rules) until the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, at which time the Speaker appoints a Majority Member to preside as the Chair of the Committee of the Whole. The Speaker or Speaker pro tempore returns to the Chair when the Committee of the Whole rises to come back into the Whole House. (For more on the Committee of the Whole, see section 5.3 of this Manual.)
Presiding over the House and the Committee of the Whole is a responsibility of the Majority party and a privilege of its Members. It is also an effective way for Members to learn how the Floor operates. Majority Members who would like to preside should contact their Cloakroom to volunteer. (Members are prohibited from presiding over debate on legislation within the jurisdiction of committees on which they sit.)
House rule I details the numerous powers and duties of the Speaker, many of which directly affect Members, not only on the Floor, but also as they carry out their representational activities broadly speaking. Clause 8 of rule I defines the role of the Speaker pro tempore. It is also important to understand the Speaker’s power of recognition under clause 2 of rule XVII. In most cases, it is the Chair’s prerogative to recognize a Member. The power of recognition cannot be appealed.