主题：【编辑】美国经济周报2010年3月第1期 -- 南方有嘉木

Perhaps you have little misunderstandings here ...

US house speakers actually have an influential power in the house, unlike president of the senate whose power is far more limited in procedural duties. This is different from British system, in which house speaker is pretty much as you described. When the ruling party doesn't control the house, the house speaker becomes even more prominent, like Pelosi. Anyway, they both can vote and your understanding makes a sense that a senator's vote weighs more :)