Congress Organizes

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Chapter 121

• Congress Organizes

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Speaker of the House of RepresentativesJohn
BoehnerR-Ohio

• rules on points-of-order
• recognizes members who wish to speak
• decides the outcome of voice votes
• refers bills to committees

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The Speaker of the House as Party Leader

• power stems from their position as chosen leader
  of the majority party in the House

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Senate Offices provided for in the Constitution

• president of the Senate
• president pro tempore

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President of the SenateJoe Biden

• presides over the Senate
• -does not exercise leadership in the same way as
  the Speaker of the House

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PresidentPro Tempore of the SenateOrrin
Hatch(R-UT)

• presides in the absence of the vice-president
• generally is a respected, veteran member of the
  majority party in the Senate

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Party leadershipin Congress

• plan the partys legislative program
• include
• -majority or minority leader
• -party whips

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House of Representatives Majority LeaderKevin
McCarthy (R-CA)

• second in power to the Speaker of the House of
  Representatives
• has the major responsibility for scheduling
  legislation and keeping the party unified

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House of RepresentativesMinority LeaderNancy
Pelosi (D-CA)

• leads the minority party in the House of
  Representatives
• acts as a spokesperson for the opposition

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SenateMajority LeaderMitch McConnell(R-KY)

• principal spokesman for the majority party in the
  Senate
• plans the legislative program

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SenateMinority LeaderHarry Reid(D-NV)

• leads the minority party in the Senate
• acts as a spokesperson for the opposition

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Party Whips

• keep party members informed of the legislative
  schedule
• know where each party member stands on every key
  issue
• make certain members get to the floor for
  critical debates and votes

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House of Representatives Majority WhipSteve
Scalise (R-LA)
House of Representatives Minority WhipSteny
Hoyer (D-MD)
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Senate Majority WhipJohn Cornyn(R-TX)
SenateMinority WhipDick Durbin(D-IL)
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• Senator Richard Durbin

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Senator Mark Kirk
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• Rodney DavisIllinois13th District(R-13)

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