Congressional Leadership

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Congressional Leadership
U.S. Senate
Leadership Position Description Job Duties Method of Selection
U.S. Vice President
President Pro Tempore
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
U.S. House of Representatives
Leadership Position Description Job Duties Method of Selection
Speaker
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
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Legislative Branch

• Section 4 Organization of Congress

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Terms and Sessions

• Every 2 years, all House of Reps and 1/3 of
  Senators
• New term begins Jan. 3
• Each Congress is numbered
• 1st was 1789-1790
• 112th was 2010-2012
• Each term divided into two 1-year sessions
• Quorum (majority) must be present to conduct
  business

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Term Limitsnone for Congress

• Forget new people in
• Againstwant consistency
• Incumbentscurrent officeholders, they usually
  win re-election

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Congressional Leaders

• Majority partyholds most seats
• Minority partyholds fewer seats

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker
U.S. Vice President
President Pro Tempore
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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Congressional Leadership

• How do congressional leaders maintain order and
  facilitate the legislative process?

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden
President Pro Tempore
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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President of the SenateJoe Biden - U.S. Vice
President (D)

• Does not debate bills or address the Senate
• Votes only if there is a tie
• Presides over official electoral college vote
• Presides over Federal impeachment cases (except
  President Chief Justice presides in these cases)

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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President Pro TemporeDaniel Inouye (D)
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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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Senate Majority LeaderHarry Reid (D)

• Most Senior Senate Official
• Day-to-Day manager of business in Senate
• Primary spokesperson for his party

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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Senate Minority LeaderMitch McConnell (R)

• Most Senior Official For Minority Party
• Set party Agenda and Strategy

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D)
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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Senate Majority WhipRichard Durbin (D)

• Persuade Members to vote on party lines
• Ensure bills have enough support to pass
• whip up support for party

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D)
Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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Senate Minority WhipJon Kyl (R)

• Persuade Members to vote on party lines
• Ensure bills have enough support to pass
• whip up support for party

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker John Boehner (R)
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D)
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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Speaker of the HouseJohn Boehner (R)

• Presides over the House of Representatives
• Sets the agenda for legislation
• Primary Spokesperson for his or her party
• Most Senior official in House of Representatives

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker John Boehner (R)
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Minority Leader
Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R)
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D)
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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House Majority LeaderEric Cantor- (R)

• Leader of the Majority Party
• Second most senior official in House of Reps.
• Recently day-to-day manager of business on house
  floor

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker John Boehner (R)
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R)
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D)
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D)
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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House Minority LeaderNancy Pelosi (D)

• Most senior official of minority party
• Leader of Minority Party
• Set party agenda, message, and strategy

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker John Boehner (R)
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R)
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D)
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R)
Minority Whip
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D)
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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House Majority WhipKevin McCarthy (R)

• Persuade Members to vote on party lines
• Ensure bills have enough support to pass
• whip up support for party

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U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Speaker John Boehner (R)
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R)
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D)
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R)
Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D)
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D)
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
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House Minority WhipSteny Hoyer (D)

• Persuade Members to vote on party lines
• Ensure bills have enough support to pass
• whip up support for party

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The Legislative Branch

• Section 5 The Committee System

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The Committee System

• Congress in the Committee is Congress at work
• -Woodrow Wilson

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Purpose of Committees

• Committees ease Congressional workload by
  dividing work among small groups.

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Purpose of Committees

• Committees allow members to discuss and select
  the most important bills Congress will consider.

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Kinds of Committees

• Standing committees deal with certain issues
  continuing from one Congress to the next.
• Judiciary Committee

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Kinds of Committees

• Subcommittees handle special subcategories of
  standing committees work, and also continue from
  one Congress to the next.
• Social Security

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Kinds of Committees

• Select committees are special committees created
  in both houses of Congress for one term to study
  a specific topic.
• 9/11 Commission

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Kinds of Committees

• Joint Committees members from both Houses.
• Taxation
• Conference Committees temporary committees set
  up to resolve differences in the House and Senate
  version of a bill.

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Choosing Members

• Assigning members to various committees is a key
  decision in the organization of Congress.

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Choosing Members

• Membership on certain committees
• Helps members build reputations and increase
  their chances for reelection.
• Gives members a chance to influence important
  national legislation.
• Enables members to influence other members since
  those committees deal with issues that are
  important to all members.

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Choosing Members

• In both houses, parties assign members to the
  standing committees
• Party leaders and chairpersons of the standing
  committees are the most important members of
  Congress.

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Choosing Members

• Standing committee chairpersons make key
  decisions about the work of their committees,
  though their power has decreased.

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Discussion Question

• Members of Congress who have served the longest
  often head key committees and have an important
  voice in passing legislation. Do you think this
  seniority system helps Congress to operate more
  effectively? EXPLAIN!