The term of office is two years, and the terms of all representatives begin and end at the same time.

A representative must be twenty-five years old, must have been a citizen of the United States seven years, and must be an inhabitant of the State in which he is elected.

A vacancy in a State’s representation in the lower house of Congress is filled by special election called by the governor for that purpose.

“All bills for raising revenue”—­that is, all bills providing for taxation—­“must originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments, as in other bills.”  Taxation is called the strongest function of government, and therefore the Constitution provides that the first step must be taken by the House of Representatives, because all its members are elected every two years by the people, and are supposed to represent the people’s views.

The Constitution provides that “the House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeachment;” that is, the House of Representatives must formulate and present the charges to the Senate, and prosecute the accused at its bar.  An impeachment by the House of Representatives corresponds to an indictment by a grand jury; specific charges must be made before a trial can be held in any court.

THE SPEAKER.—­The speaker is elected by the representatives.  He is a member of the House, and is nominated for the speakership by a convention, or caucus, of the representatives who are of his political party.  In rank he is the third officer of the government.  He presides over the House, preserves decorum, decides points of order, and directs the business of legislation.  He is the organ of the House, and because he speaks and declares its will is called the Speaker.  He formerly appointed the standing committees of the House, and thus largely shaped legislation; but this power was taken from him in 1911.  As almost all laws are matured by the committees, and are passed as the result of their work, the power to appoint the committees was considered too important to leave in the hands of one man.  The speaker’s salary is $12,000 annually.

The clerk of the preceding House presides during the election of the speaker.  Immediately after his election, the speaker is sworn into office by the representative of the longest service in the House.  He then assumes the direction of business, and administers the oath to the members as they present themselves by States.  The House of Representatives is reorganized every two years at the opening of the first session of each Congress.

OTHER OFFICERS.—­The other officers of the House are the clerk, the sergeant-at-arms, the doorkeeper, the postmaster, and the chaplain.  They are not members of the House.  The sergeant-at-arms and the doorkeeper appoint numerous subordinates.