Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
# Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico

The President of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico —commonly called the Speaker of the House (Spanish: Presidente de la Cámara de Representantes)— is the highest-ranking officer and the presiding officer of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico. The Speaker has voting powers as it is elected amongst the own members of the House as established by Article III of the Constitution of Puerto Rico. The Constitution, however, does not establish its functions and since the House is the only body authorized by the Constitution to regulate its own internal affairs, the functions of the Speaker vary from session to session—save being called "Speaker" as the Constitution establishes. The Speaker is typically elected during the House inaugural session.

When absent, the Speaker is substituted by the Speaker pro tempore. Its counterpart in the Senate is the President of the Senate.

The current Speaker is Tatito Hernandez, representative at-large from the Popular Democratic Party

## Background

The Speaker traces its history back to more than 123 years ago when the Foraker Act formally established the post on April 12, 1900. Several laws eventually superseded said act, and the post was eventually established by the Constitution of Puerto Rico, specifically Article III, which establishes that, "[...]the House of Representatives [shall elect] a Speaker from among [its] members." The Constitution, however, does not establish what a "Speaker" is nor what its function should be. Internal rules adopted by the House through a simple resolution establish its definition, functions, responsibilities, and legal scope.

## Functions

Typically the Speaker is responsible for the observance and compliance of the House internal rules. He also typically:

* presides all joint commissions,
* resolves and decides all parliamentary situations and rules of order brought in sessions,
* names all permanent and special commissions of the House, as well as being a member ex officio of each one,
* signs all bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, reorganization plans, and simple resolutions approved by the House and the Legislative Assembly,
* convenes special sessions of the House,
* maintains order and decorum in the House, a responsibility typically delegated to the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House,
* must vote in all matters presented in the House (can not abstain),
* represents the House in all forums,
* is responsible for all administrative matters of the House, a responsibility typically delegated to the Secretary of the House,
* prepares an annual and monthly report detailing all work done by the House,
* appoints an internal auditor for the House,
* prepares the budget of the House,
* prepares a registry of all lobbyists that must be freely available to the public,
* is responsible of providing free access to the public to all works generated by the House, and
* offers training and continuing education opportunities to House members, advisors, and employees.

## Speakers

* 1900–1904: Manuel F. Rossy Calderón
* 1905–1906: Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón
* 1907–1907: Francisco P. Acuña y Paniagua
* 1907–1918: José de Diego Martínez
* 1918–1920: Juan Bernardo Huyke
* 1921–1923: Cayetano Coll y Cuchí
* 1923–1924: Miguel Guerra Mondragrón
* 1925–1930: José Tous Soto
* 1930–1932: Manuel F. Rossy Calderón
* 1932–1932: Rafael Alonso Torres
* 1933–1940: Miguel A. García Méndez
* 1941–1943: Samuel R. Quiñones
* 1943–1944: Rafael Arrillaga Torrens
* 1944–1944: Rafael Rodríguez Pacheco
* 1945–1945: María L. Gómez Garriga
* 1945–1948: Francisco M. Susoni Abreu
* 1948–1963: Ernesto Ramos Antonini
* 1963–1964: Santiago Polanco Abreu
* 1965–1968: Arcilio Alvarado Alvarado
* 1969–1972: Angel Viera Martínez
* 1973–1976: Luis E. Ramos Yordán
* 1977–1982: Angel Viera Martínez
* 1982–1984: Severo Colberg Ramírez
* 1985–1992: Jose Ronaldo Jarabo
* 1993–1996: Zaida R. Hernández Torres
* 1997–2000: Edison Misla Aldarondo
* 2001–2004: Carlos Vizcarrondo Irizarry
* 2005–2008: José Aponte Hernández
* 2009–2012: Jenniffer González Colón
* 2013–2016: Jaime Perelló
* 2016-2016(acting): Roberto Rivera Ruiz de Porras
* 2017–2020: Carlos Johnny Méndez
* 2021-present: Rafael Hernández Montañez

Republican Party    Union Party    New Progressive Party    Popular Democratic Party :

| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Party | Speaker pro tempore |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Manuel F. Rossy Calderón | December 3, 1900 | December 31, 1904 | Republican | |
| 2 | Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón | January 10, 1905 | December 31, 1906 | Union | |
| 3 | Francisco P. Acuña y Paniagua | January 14, 1907 | March 6, 1907 | Union | |
| 4 | José de Diego Martínez | March 6, 1907 | July 16, 1918 | Union | Juan Bernardo Huyke |
| 5 | Juan Bernardo Huyke | November 26, 1918 | December 31, 1920 | Union | Miguel Guerra Mondragón |
| 6 | Cayetano Coll y Cuchí | February 14, 1921 | February 11, 1923 | Union | Alfonso Lastra Chárriez |
| 7 | Miguel Guerra Mondragrón | February 12, 1923 | December 31, 1924 | Union | Alfonso Lastra Chárriez |
| 8 | José Tous Soto | February 9, 1925 | February 18, 1930 | Republican | Miguel Guerra Modragón 1925–1929 Benigno Fernández García 1929–1930 |
| 9 | Manuel F. Rossy Calderón | February 20, 1930 | August 6, 1932 | Republican | Enrique Landrón Otero 1930 Rafael Alonso Torres 1930–1931 |
| 10 | Rafael Alonso Torres | October 18, 1932 | December 31, 1932 | Socialist | Jorge Romaní |
| 11 | Miguel A. García Méndez | February 13, 1933 | December 31, 1940 | Republican | Rafael Alonso Torres |
| 12 | Samuel R. Quiñones Quiñones | February 12, 1941 | March 5, 1943 | PPD | Luis Sánchez Frasqueri |
| 13 | Rafael Arrillaga Torrens | March 5, 1943 | February 24, 1944 | Socialist | Julio Reguero González |
| 14 | Rafael Rodríguez Pacheco | February 24, 1944 | December 31, 1944 | Republican | Julio Reguero González |
| 15 | María L. Gómez Garriga | January 11, 1945 | February 12, 1945 | PPD | Guillermo Alicea Campos |
| 16 | Francisco M. Susoni Abreu | February 12, 1945 | June 5, 1948 | PPD | Ernesto Ramos Antonini |
| 17 | Ernesto Ramos Antonini | June 22, 1948 | January 9, 1963 | PPD | Benjamín Ortiz Ortiz 1949–1952 María L. Gómez Garriga 1953–1956 Jorge Font Saldaña 1957–1962 |
| 18 | Santiago Polanco Abreu | January 14, 1963 | December 31, 1964 | PPD | Benjamín Ortiz Ortiz |
| 19 | Arcilio Alvarado Alvarado | January 11, 1965 | December 31, 1968 | PPD | Aguedo Mojica |
| 20 | Angel Viera Martínez | January 13, 1969 | December 31, 1972 | PNP | Rubén Otero Bosco 1969–1970 José E. Salichs Lope de Haro 1970–1972 |
| 21 | Luis E. Ramos Yordán | January 8, 1973 | December 31, 1976 | PPD | Severo Colberg Ramírez |
| 22 | Angel Viera Martínez | January 10, 1977 | January 28, 1982 | PNP | José N. Granados Navedos 1977 – 1978 José E. Salichs Lope de Haro 1978 – December 31, 1980 Severo Colberg Ramírez 1981 – 1982 |
| 23 | Severo Colberg Ramírez | January 28, 1982 | December 31, 1984 | PPD | Presby Santiago García |
| 24 | José R. Jarabo Alvarez | January 14, 1985 | December 31, 1992 | PPD | Samuel Ramírez Torres |
| 25 | Zaida R. Hernández Torres | January 11, 1993 | December 31, 1996 | PNP | Edison Misla Aldarondo |
| 26 | Edison Misla Aldarondo | January 13, 1997 | December 31, 2000 | PNP | José N. Granados Navedos January 1997 – June 30, 1999 Edwin Mundo Ríos June 30, 1999 – December 31, 2000 |
| 27 | Carlos Vizcarrondo Irizarry | January 8, 2001 | December 31, 2004 | PPD | Ferdinand Pérez Román |
| 28 | José F. Aponte Hernández | January 10, 2005 | December 31, 2008 | PNP | Epifanio Jiménez |
| 29 | Jenniffer A. González Colón | January 12, 2009 | December 31, 2012 | PNP | Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló |
| 30 | Jaime Perelló | January 14, 2013 | August 29, 2016 | PPD | Roberto Rivera |
| 31 | Carlos Johnny Méndez | January 9, 2017 | December 31, 2020 | PNP | José Torres Zamora |
| 32 | Rafael Hernández Montañez | January 11, 2021 | present | PPD | José "Conny" Varela |

## Speakers pro tempore

The Vice President of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico (commonly called the Speaker pro tempore) is the second highest-ranking officer of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico. The Speaker pro tempore substitutes the Speaker of the House in his absence. The Speaker pro tempore has a counterpart in the Senate by the President pro tempore of the Senate.

* 1907–1918: Juan B. Huyke Bozello
* 1918–:1290: Miguel Guerra Mondragón
* 1921–1924: Alfonso Lastra Chárriez
* 1925–1929: Miguel Guerra Modragón
* 1929–1930: Benigno Fernández García
* 1930–1930: Enrique Landrón Otero
* 1930–1931: Rafael Alonso Torres
* 1932–1932: Jorge Romaní
* 1933–1940: Rafael Alonso Torres
* 1941–1943: Luis Sánchez Frasqueri
* 1943–1944: Julio Reguero González
* 1945–1945: Guillermo Alicea Campos
* 1945–1948: Ernesto Ramos Antonini
* 1949–1952: Benjamín Ortiz Ortiz
* 1953–1956: María L. Gómez Garriga
* 1957–1962: Jorge Font Saldaña
* 1963–1964: Benjamín Ortiz Ortiz
* 1965–1968: Aguedo Mojica
* 1969–1970: Rubén Otero Bosco
* 1970–1972: José E. Salichs Lopez de Haro
* 1973–1976: Severo Colberg Ramírez
* 1977–1978: José N. Granados Navedos
* 1978–1980: José E. Salichs Lopez de Haro
* 1981–1982: Severo Colberg Ramírez
* 1982–1984: Presby Santiago García
* 1985–1993: Samuel Ramírez Torres
* 1993–1997: Edison Misla Aldarondo
* 1997–1999: José N. Granados Navedos
* 1999–2001: Edwin Mundo Ríos
* 2001–2005: Ferdinand Pérez Román
* 2005–2009: Epifanio Jiménez Cruz
* 2009-2013: Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló
* 2013–2017: Roberto Rivera Ruiz
* 2017-2021: José Torres Zamora
* 2021-present: José "Conny" Varela
