House Leaders Prepare to Exchange Offices
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner aren’t just switching titles in the 112th Congress, they’re also about to swap offices, according to Democratic and Republican leadership aides.
Boehner (R-Ohio) will move into the spacious second-floor Capitol office above the Small House Rotunda, confirmed Boehner’s spokesman, Michael Steel. Pelosi (D-Calif.) has occupied the office since 2006, and her predecessor as Speaker, Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), used it before her.
Pelosi will take over the space used by Boehner, according to a Democratic aide. She should be familiar with office, which is adjacent to the House floor and behind the ornate Rayburn Room, from her time working there as Minority Leader. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) preceded Pelosi in the office.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters Tuesday morning that incoming Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will continue to occupy his office at the bottom of the Small House Rotunda, near the Memorial Door.
Majority Leader-designate Eric Cantor (R-Va.) will take an office in the suite in the Capitol currently occupied by Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), a Cantor spokesman confirmed. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Dick Armey (R-Texas) also used the office during their tenures as Majority Leader.
It remains to be seen where Hoyer, who will be Minority Whip, and Clyburn, who will be Assistant Leader, will end up. Clyburn spokeswoman Kristie Greco confirmed that Clyburn will have an office in the Capitol but that the exact location is still being discussed.
Aides for Hoyer did not return requests for comment.
Anna Palmer contributed to this report.