Sen. Chuck Grassley was sworn in on Friday as president pro tempore of the Senate for the 119th Congress. The role, a constitutional office typically granted to the longest-serving member of the Senate majority party, makes Grassley the second-highest-ranking official in the Senate. He is also third in the presidential line of succession, following Vice President-elect JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and the office includes a protective detail assigned by the U.S. Capitol Police. Grassley says, “It’s once again a privilege for me and for Iowa to serve as President pro tempore of the Senate. Additional responsibility won’t change the work ethic I learned as a boy on our Butler County farm. I’ll bring the same Iowa values of hard work, decency, and common sense to this role as I have throughout my time in public service. I look forward to continuing to foster civic engagement and upholding the Senate’s reputation as the greatest deliberative body in the world.” Grassley previously held the position from 2019 to 2021. The office entails duties such as convening the Senate, enforcing decorum, and signing legislation before it reaches the White House. The only other Iowan to hold the office was former Sen. Albert Cummins, who served from 1919 to 1925.
Sen. Grassley Sworn In As Senate President Pro Tempore, Putting Him Back In The Presidential Succession Line
