WASHINGTON D.C., DC — In a House of Representatives without a current speaker, University of Iowa alumna and current U.S. House Clerk Cheryl Johnson has taken charge.
The House of Representatives speaker battle continues into its fourth day Friday, and Johnson's calm guidance remains a constant among the chaos.
Johnson has held the position since 2019, when she was sworn in by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Ordinarily, a clerk carries out administrative duties such as delivering messages from the House to the Senate, calling roll and more.
But Clark has stepped up this week as the arduous process and subsequent votes have taken over the House floor since Tuesday.
Johnson is the 36th person to serve as clerk and the second Black woman to ever hold the position. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism and mass communication before completing a law degree at Howard University.
Kevin McCarthy is one of the Republican nominees for speaker, but has failed 12 times so far to secure enough votes for the position.
"Let me express my deep appreciation, and appreciation of everybody in this room, for the work you're doing Madame Clerk," Rep. French Hill, R-AK said Thursday.
After school, Johnson headed to Capitol Hill, where she has been a policy advisor, spokesperson, director and more for various committees, including the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and House Administration’s Subcommittee on Libraries and Memorials.
Johnston has also overseen two impeachments and the Jan. 6 insurrection in her time at Congress.
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