An appointed officer of the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from 1789 until 1995, the Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives was chosen by a
resolution at the opening of each
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
. The Office of the Doorkeeper was based on precedent from the
Continental Congresses. Without debate, the
First Federal Congress created the Doorkeeper's position by resolution on April 2, 1789. The Doorkeeper controlled access to the House Chamber and eventually oversaw the press in the gallery.
The doorkeeper’s most visible job was introducing American presidents and foreign dignitaries to Congress. For 18 years, before the
State of the Union address, Doorkeeper
James T. Molloy announced, "Mister Speaker, the president of the United States.”
The office of Doorkeeper was abolished during the
104th Congress (). Thirty-three Doorkeepers served until the position was abolished and the office's duties were divided among the
Sergeant at Arms
Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other un ...
, the
Clerk of the House, and the newly created
Chief Administrative Officer.
List of Doorkeepers
Two Doorkeepers also served as members of the United States House of Representatives (indicated below by asterisks) either prior to or after their service as a House officer.
Notes
References
Clerk of the House
**''House Journal'', various editions; ''
Congressional Record'', various editions;
**''
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress'' (2005);
**''
Congressional Pictorial Directory'', various editions;
**''
Congressional Directory'', various editions;
**Donald Bacon, et al., ''Encyclopedia of the U.S. Congress'', vol. 1 (NY: Simon and Schuster, 1995): 659–661.
{{authority control
Employees of the United States House of Representatives
1789 establishments in the United States