Title 2, The CongressRelease 119-102
§5604 Duties of Sergeant at Arms
Title 2 › CHAPTER 55 — HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OFFICERS AND ADMINISTRATION › SUBCHAPTER VIII — SERGEANT AT ARMS › § 5604
Summary
The Sergeant at Arms must be at House meetings and keep order when the Speaker tells them to. They must carry out the House’s orders and official papers, and if no Speaker or temporary Speaker has been chosen yet, they follow the Clerk’s directions.
Full Legal Text
Title 2, §5604
The Congress, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
It shall be the duty of the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives to attend the House during its sittings, to maintain order under the direction of the Speaker, and, pending the election of a Speaker or Speaker pro tempore, under the direction of the Clerk, execute the commands of the House and all processes issued by authority thereof, directed to him by the Speaker.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification Section was formerly classified to section 78 of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
Amendments
1996—Pub. L. 104–186 struck out “, keep the accounts for the pay and mileage of Members and Delegates, and pay them as provided by law” after “directed to him by the Speaker”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Transfer of Functions
Effective Feb. 1, 2010, functions of House of Representatives Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness, and Operations transferred to Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives, see section 105 of title I of div. G of Pub. L. 112–74, set out as a note under former section 130i of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
2 U.S.C. § 5604
Title 2, The Congress
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102