United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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Gavel of the Clerk of the House

Gavel of the Clerk of the House/tiles/collection/5/5480.xml
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Date

1999

Dimensions

13 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/8 in. (33 x 11.4 x 6 cm)

Accession Number

2005.015.000

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives, Gift of Jeff Trandahl

Object Details

The first day of a Congress is mainly business, with a side of tradition. Since 1999, this gavel, known as the Clerk’s Gavel, is taken out of storage for a single day to begin, or “gavel in,” the new Congress. The next order of business is the election of the Speaker of the House, to whom the Clerk of the House then hands over the duty of presiding.

Rights and Reproduction Information

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Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov