Speaker of the House
The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, as dictated by the US Constitution. Though the individual is elected by the full House, the majority party chooses a candidate beforehand to ensure victory.
According to the statute for presidential succession, the Speaker is third in line to the presidency, behind the Vice President.
The position is currently held by Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California. She is the first woman to hold the position.
http://www.speaker.gov/
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