Good Question: Why doesn’t a Supreme Court justice swear in members of Congress?
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KENTUCKY (WKYT) - For today’s Good Question, Matt asks: They use a Supreme Court justice to swear in the president of the United States, so why can’t they use a Supreme Court justice to swear in a member of Congress?
On Capitol Hill, the responsibility of administering the oath of office is held by congressional leadership.
In the House, that would be the Speaker of the House.
After the speaker is elected, the member of the House with the longest continuous service administers the oath to the speaker. That person currently is Hal Rogers of Kentucky.
The speaker then swears in the members en masse.
On rare occasions, the House has authorized other members or local judges to administer the oath of office to absent representatives.
In the Senate, the vice president, who serves as the president of the Senate, administers the oath of office to senators.
Typically, the other senator from the member-elect’s state serves as an escort.
The vice president, or in the vice president’s absence, the president pro tempore, administers the oath.
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