Title 2 — The CongressRelease 119-73
§26 Roll of Representatives-elect
Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 2— - ORGANIZATION OF CONGRESS › § 26
Summary
The prior House Clerk must make a list, before the first meeting of each new Congress, of only the people elected to the House whose papers show they were properly chosen under state or federal law. If the Clerk cannot do this because the office is vacant, the Clerk is absent, or the Clerk is unable, the prior House Sergeant at Arms must make the list.
Full Legal Text
Title 2, §26
The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Before the first meeting of each Congress the Clerk of the next preceding House of Representatives shall make a roll of the Representatives-elect, and place thereon the names of those persons, and of such persons only, whose credentials show that they were regularly elected in accordance with the laws of their States respectively, or the laws of the United States. In case of a vacancy in the office of Clerk of the House of Representatives, or of the absence or inability of the Clerk to discharge the duties imposed on him by law or custom relative to the preparation of the roll of Representatives or the organization of the House, those duties shall devolve on the Sergeant at Arms of the next preceding House of Representatives.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification R.S. § 31 derived from acts Feb. 21, 1867, ch. 56, § 1, 14 Stat. 397 and Mar. 3, 1863, ch. 108, 12 Stat. 804. R.S. §§ 32 and 33 derived from act Feb. 21, 1867, ch. 56, § 2, 14 Stat. 397. R.S. § 31 constitutes first sentence; R.S. § 32 constitutes second sentence; and R.S. § 33 constituted the third sentence, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–186. See 1996 Amendment note below.
Amendments
1996—Pub. L. 104–186 struck out third sentence which read as follows: “In case of vacancies in the offices of both the Clerk and the Sergeant at Arms, or of the absence or inability of both to act, the duties of the Clerk relative to the preparation of the roll of the House of Representatives or the organization of the House shall be performed by the Doorkeeper of the next preceding House of Representatives.” See Codification note above.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
2 U.S.C. § 26
Title 2 — The Congress
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73