Chapter 6 1 Congressional Leaders Congressional leadership

Chapter 6. 1 Congressional Leaders • Congressional leadership is organized strictly by political party.

So where do we start? • Majority Party – Political party that holds the most seats in each house. • As of 2008, this is the Democrats. • Minority Party – Political party that holds fewer seats in each house. • As of 2008, this is the Republicans

Why is it important to be in the majority? • Presiding officers and committee chairs always come from the majority party! • It makes it easier to pass laws!

House of Representative Leadership • The House operates under stronger leadership than the Senate – Why? • It has 4 times as many members! – Must be strict to keep them in line! – Who is the most powerful? • Speaker of the House

Who and what is the Speaker of the House? • Who? – Nancy Pelosi • Democrat • Congresswoman from California’s 8 th district • What does she do? – Governs the debate in the House of Reps. – Is the public face of the House of Reps. – Is 3 rd in line if POTUS dies!

Who is below the Speaker of the House? • Each political party has their own floor leader – Majority floor leader (aka “Majority Leader”) • Serves as an assistant to the Speaker of the House. – Minority floor leader (aka “Minority Leader”) • Serves as chief voice of minority party

Who is the Majority Leader today? • Steny Hoyer – Democrat from Maryland’s 5 th District – Been in Congress since 1987.

Who is the minority leader? • John Boehner – Republican – Ohio’s 8 th Congressional District – Been in Congress since 1989

Who works for the majority and minority leaders? • The Whips!! – Work feverishly to keep their political parties in line! • They demand their members to vote according to the political parties beliefs! • Majority whip – Works for the majority party • Minority whip – Works for the minority party

Who are the Whips? • Majority Whip – James Clyburn • Democrat from South Carolina • Minority Whip – Eric Cantor • Republican from 7 th district in Virginia

Senate Leadership • The Presiding Officer of the United States Senate is the Vice President of the United States – Used as deciding vote in all ties! • Joe Biden – Democrat from Delaware

Who is next most powerful person in Senate? • President pro tempore – Person who is head of Senate when VP is busy doing VP stuff…. – 4 th in line if POTUS dies! – Who gets to be President pro tempore? • The longest serving member of the Majority Party.

Who is President pro tempore? • Robert Byrd – Democrat from West Virginia! – Been in Congress since 1959! • FYI: – That’s before JFK was POTUS!!

So who is below the President pro tempore? • Same as House of Representatives – Majority and Minority Floor Leaders – Majority and Minority Whips

Easy Way to Think of It House of Reps 1. Speaker of the House Senate 1. Vice President 2. Floor Leaders 2. President Pro Tempore 1. Majority 2. Minority 3. Whips 1. Majority 2. Minority 3. Floor Leaders 1. Majority 2. Minority 4. Whips 1. Majority 2. Minority