Who is the 112th congress speaker of the house

Johnson Jr. James R. Jeffrey Fortenberry. John C. Carney Jr. John Conyers, Jr. John D. Dingell, Jr. John J. Duncan, Jr. Luis V. Lynn A. Marlin A. Michael C. Michael K. Michael R. Patrick J. Patrick T. Peter J. Richard B. Robert T. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.

John Boehner, a long-serving Ohioan from a working-class background, was awarded the speaker's gavel Wednesday, ending the historic term of Democrat Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco liberal who was the first woman to preside over the House. The speaker is second-in-line for the presidency after the vice president. With the Senate still in Democratic hands — albeit with a smaller majority — House Republicans face bleak prospects for passing their ambitious legislative agenda, including a quick — no-debate — vote next week on repealing Obama's health care overhaul.

But they now can press legislation and conduct oversight hearings that will consume White House time and energy and further underline sharp divisions in a political system already consumed by angry partisanship. Dealing with 'scar tissue' Boehner acknowledged as much in a brief speech as he took the House gavel, declaring "a great deal of scar tissue has built up on both sides of the aisle.

Republicans retook the House majority riding a wave of discontent over Obama's handling of the economy and an uprising among voters sympathetic to newly emerged, ultraconservative Tea Party candidates. Republicans, including dozens of ultraconservative Tea Party-allied colleagues, now face the task of living up to loud promises to cut taxes and shrink the government. No longer can we fall short. No longer can we kick the can down the road. The people voted to end business as usual, and today we begin carrying out their instructions.

While all eyes were on the House, Vice President Joe Biden swore in new members of the Senate, where Democrats' majority has slipped to 53 of seats. But it gives them more than enough clout to block passage of bills like the health care repeal House Republicans want.

Republicans have pledged to vote at least once a week on bills that cut spending. And Cantor challenged Obama to include significant spending cuts in his State of the Union address on Jan. That might mean compromise, anathema to GOP hardliners, setting up the potential for conflicts in the party. Despite that, the new majority intends to pass the health care repeal next week without committee hearings or permitting Democrats a chance to seek changes. In the Senate, a group of Democrats led by Sen.

Tom Udall of New Mexico called for changes that would make it harder for the minority to delay legislation by filibuster. Show Caption. By The Associated Press. More in News.