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Congressional Leadership

Congressional Leadership. U.S. Senate. U.S. House of Representatives. Legislative Branch. Section 4: Organization of Congress. Terms and Sessions. Every 2 years, all House of Reps and 1/3 of Senators New term begins Jan. 3 Each Congress is numbered 1 st was 1789-1790

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Congressional Leadership

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  1. Congressional Leadership U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives

  2. Legislative Branch Section 4: Organization of Congress

  3. 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

  4. Term Limits—none for Congress • For—get new people in • Against—want consistency • Incumbents—current officeholders, they usually win re-election

  5. Congressional Leaders • *Majority party—holds most seats • *Minority party—holds fewer seats

  6. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Speaker 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

  7. Congressional Leadership How do congressional leaders maintain order and facilitate the legislative process?

  8. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden Speaker 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

  9. 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)

  10. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker 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

  11. President Pro TemporeDaniel Inouye (D)

  12. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker 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

  13. Senate Majority LeaderHarry Reid (D) • Most Senior Senate Official • Day-to-Day manager of business in Senate • Primary spokesperson for his party

  14. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker 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

  15. Senate Minority LeaderMitch McConnell (R) • Most Senior Official For Minority Party • Set party Agenda and Strategy

  16. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker 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

  17. Senate Majority WhipRichard Durbin (D) • Persuade Members to vote on party lines • Ensure bills have enough support to pass • “whip up support” for party

  18. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker 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

  19. Senate Minority WhipJon Kyl (R) • Persuade Members to vote on party lines • Ensure bills have enough support to pass • “whip up support” for party

  20. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker John Boehner (R) 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

  21. 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

  22. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker John Boehner (R) 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

  23. 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

  24. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker John Boehner (R) 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

  25. House Minority LeaderNancy Pelosi (D) • Most senior official of minority party • Leader of Minority Party • Set party agenda, message, and strategy

  26. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker John Boehner (R) 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

  27. House Majority WhipKevin McCarthy (R) • Persuade Members to vote on party lines • Ensure bills have enough support to pass • “whip up support” for party

  28. U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (D) Speaker John Boehner (R) 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

  29. House Minority WhipSteny Hoyer (D) • Persuade Members to vote on party lines • Ensure bills have enough support to pass • “whip up support” for party

  30. The Legislative Branch Section 5: The Committee System

  31. The Committee System “Congress in the Committee is Congress at work” -Woodrow Wilson

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

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

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

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

  36. 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

  37. 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.

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

  39. 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.

  40. 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.

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

  42. 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!

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