Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives A. Halleck who became Republican House leader and Minority Leader from 1959 to 1965, Hale Boggs who died in a plane crash, and Dick Gephardt who became the Democrats' House leader but as Minority Leader since his party lost control in the 1994 midterm elections. Since 1995, the only Majority Leader to become Speaker is John Boehner, though indirectly as his party lost control in the 2006 midterms elections. He subsequently served as Republican House leader and Minority Leader from 2007 to 2011 and then was elected Speaker when the House reconvened in 2011. In 1998, with Speaker Newt Gingrich
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives House of Representatives, the Speaker holds a variety of powers over the House and is ceremonially the highest-ranking legislative official in the US government. The Speaker may delegate his powers to a member of the House to act as Speaker "pro tempore" and preside over the House in the Speaker's absence; when this has occurred the delegation has always been to a member of the same party. During important debates, the Speaker "pro tempore" is ordinarily a senior member of the majority party who may be chosen for his skill in presiding. At other times, more junior members may be