Speaker of the House of Representatives

“ All the authorities make the Speaker merely the organ of the House, except so far as his representative capacity is recognized. In the Commons he can vote only when the House is equally divided; in our House of Representatives his name is sometimes called, although there is no tie; but in each case he votes in his representative capacity, and not as Speaker. ”

“ It was on the side of Senator Hanway a brilliant thought and a daring one, this plan to seize a Speakership and apply it to his personal fortunes; for your Speakership is that office second only to a Presidency, and comes often to be the latter's superior in practical force. Those wise ones who designed the government intended the House of Representatives to be a republic. Through its own groveling abjections, however, it long ago sunk to an autocracy with the Speaker in the rôle of autocrat. ”

“ Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, this resolution addresses an issue of great
importance to current and future Members of this august body: the
proper conduct of its Members.
Despite statements made by various leaders of the other party, this
is not about partisan politics or inappropriate comments. To the
contrary, this is about the rules of this House and reprehensible
conduct. ”

“ There never was a time when a Speaker so boldly and so successfully usurped the functions of the House, when he counted quorums, unceremoniously suppressed the opposition and made it evident that no legislative measure could pass that had not the Speaker's consent, and that what he approved had an enormous advantage. ”

“ It must always, of course, have seemed eminently desirable to all thoughtful and experienced men that Mr. Speaker should be no more than the judicial guide and moderator of the proceedings of the House, keeping apart from the heated controversies of party warfare, and exercising none but an impartial influence upon the course of legislation; and probably when he was first invested with the power of appointment it was thought possible that he could exercise that great prerogative without allowing his personal views upon questions of public policy to control or even affect his choice. ”

“ It is, therefore, very unfortunate that only feeling or enthusiasm can create recognized leadership in our politics. There is no office set apart for the great party leader in our government. The powers of the Speakership of the House of Representatives are too cramped and covert ”

“ Speaker, I rise today in support of the Resolution.
Congressman Wilson's outburst was a clear violation of the House
rules.
How will we serve as a model of democracy--around the globe, and to
our children here at home--if we cannot be the change we seek?
That said-- we must focus on the most important issue at hand.
That issue is not the insulting, disrespectful and inappropriate
remarks of a single Congressman.
It is the lack of hope for 18,000 people in this nation who die each
year for one reason: They lack health insurance. ”

“ Our House of Representatives is supposed to be our popular law-making body, and yet its members do not convene until a year and one month from the time they are elected. No matter how pressing the issue upon which a majority of them are chosen, more than a year must elapse before they may begin their endeavors to carry out the will of the people. ”