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110 th Congress. Leadership & Structure. Party Make-up. Party Divisions in the HR 232 Democrats 201 Republicans 0 Independents 2 Vacancies Who has the majority?. Leadership. All the leadership positions are held by the majority party. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
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110thCongress Leadership & Structure
Party Make-up • Party Divisions in the HR • 232 Democrats • 201 Republicans • 0 Independents • 2 Vacancies • Who has the majority?
Leadership All the leadership positions are held by the majority party
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Roles Presides over HR Determines committee assignment Sets rules Generally, most powerful person in Congress House of Representatives
Majority Leader From majority party Sets tone for party Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Minority Leader Is the leader for the party out of power John Boehner (R-OH) Floor Leaders – HR
Majority Whip From majority party James Clyburn (D-SC) Minority Whip From minority party Roy Blunt (R-MO) Whip - Ensures party members are voting accordingly, in attendance, keep in party line
Your Rep from District 35 Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Senate President of the Senate Vice President of the U.S. Dick Cheney (R-WY): Breaks ties in S
Senate Leadership • President pro tempore • Majority Party • Temporary president • Presides over Senate Robert Byrd (D – WV)
Majority Leader Most powerful position in Senate Harry Reid (D-NV) Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Senate Leadership
Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL) Minority Whip Trent Lott (R-MI) Senate Whips
Barbara Boxer (D) Dianne Feinstein (D) Your CA Senators
Structure • Congress divides into committees in order to become an expert in certain areas • Committees – divides work into specific categories (for each house) • Agriculture • Education and Labor • Judiciary • Veteran’s Affairs • Library (of Congress)
Cmte • Chairperson • Majority party • Seniority Rule • Majority • Longest on cmte • Majority party has proportional number of seats Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture Collin Peterson (D-MN) If a bill sponsored by a Republican goes to a cmte in the 110th Congress, what chance does it have of passing?
Standing Cmte • Permanent • Exclusive Cmte – HR ONLY: • Appropriations: gives out the money • Ways and Means: all tax bills start here • Rules • Major • S: Judiciary, Foreign Relations
Subcommittees • Each cmte divides up into smaller cmte’s that can specialize even further • House Committee on Agriculture • Subcmte on Conservation, Credit, Energy & Research • Subcmte on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition & Forestry • Subcmte on Horticulture & Organic Agriculture • Subcmte on Livestock, Dairy, & Poultry
Select / Special Committees • Temporary or permanent on specific topic • Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence • Special Committee on Aging
Joint Committees • Cmte made of both HR & S • Library • Economic • Taxation • Printing
Where’s Hillary? • Armed Forces • Environment and Public Works • Health, Education, Labor and Pensions • Special Cmte on Aging
Caucus: a group of like-minded representatives • Party Caucus: determines party leadership and direction • Others: • Congressional Black Caucus