Dean of the United States House of Representatives facts for kids

The Dean of the United States House of Representatives is a special title given to the member of the House of Representatives who has served the longest. Think of it like being the "senior" member because you've been there the longest! The current Dean is Don Young, a Republican from Alaska. He has been a member of the House since March 6, 1973.

Don Young, House Representative from Alaska is the current Dean

The Dean's job is mostly symbolic. This means it's more about tradition than having a lot of power. Their main special duty is to swear in the new Speaker of the House when they are chosen. The Dean steps forward on the House Floor to give the oath to the Speaker-elect. After that, the new Speaker then gives the oath to all the other members.

Unlike some other countries, the Dean does not lead the election for the Speaker. For example, the "Father of the House" in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom or the "Dean" of the Canadian House of Commons do lead those elections.

Because of their long time in office, the Dean often gets some nice benefits. They usually get some of the best office space in the House. The Dean is also often a leader on an important committee. This means they might be the chair or the top minority member. It's important to remember that the Dean of the House is not an official position, like the President pro tem in the Senate.

Who Has Been Dean of the House?

This list shows the people who have held the title of Dean of the House. It includes their time as Dean, their name, political party, state, and when they first started serving in Congress.

When the First Congress started, all members had the same "seniority" (meaning they started at the same time). However, Frederick Muhlenberg was the first to be sworn in as Speaker. He, along with Thomas Hartley and George Thatcher, were among the first 13 members to meet on March 4, 1789.

In the early days of the United States, some states didn't elect their representatives until after the new term had already begun. For simplicity, this list does not show those specific delays.

• Many Deans, like Hartley, Stanford, and Williams, passed away while still serving in office.
• Some Deans, including Vinson, Whitten, and Dingell, first joined the House to finish someone else's term.
• John Dingell served as Dean for the longest time, exactly 20 years!