Leadership Structure: House of Representatives Speaker of the House Majority Leader Majority Whip Deputy Whips Chairman of Party Conference/Caucus Chairman of Campaign Committee Committee Chairmen Subcommittee Chairmen “Rank and file” members of the majority party Official party leadership Minority Leader Minority Whip Chairman of Party Caucus/Conference Chairman of Campaign Committee Committee Ranking Members Subcommittee Ranking Members “Rank and file” members of the minority party The Speaker of the House is the most powerful position in the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the entire House, but practically speaking, by the majority party. The Majority Leader is the second most powerful position in the House. The Majority Leader, Majority Whip, and Chairman of the Party Conference/Caucus* are all elected from within the major party. Deputy Whips, Committee Chairmen, and Subcommittee Chairmen are all appointed by the House leadership with input from other party members. The Minority Leader has much less power than the Majority Leader. The Leader, Whip, and Conference Chair are elected just as in the majority party. *Republicans call their party in Congress the Republican Conference; the Democrats use the term Democratic Caucus. Chief Deputy Whip Deputy Whips Chief Deputy Whip Official party leadership

Leadership Structure: Senate Majority Leader Assistant Majority Leader Deputy Whips Vice Chairman of Conference Chairman of Campaign Committee Committee Chairmen Subcommittee Chairmen “Rank and file” members of the majority party Minority Leader Assistant Minority Leader Chairman of Party Conference Chairman of Campaign Committee Committee Ranking Members Subcommittee Ranking Members “Rank and file” members of the minority party Deputy Whips Chief Deputy Whip Chief Deputy Whip According to the Constitution, the Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate. The Vice President is to preside over debate but only vote to break a tie. The Constitution created the position of President Pro Tempore to have a senator who could preside in the Vice President's absence. In the modern era, Vice Presidents are usually too busy to preside over Senate proceedings. The position of President Pro Tempore has come to be an honorary one, given to the longest serving member of the majority party. As presiding over floor debate is boring, undesirable work, the Senate is typically presided over by senators taking turns, with the more junior senators doing most of the work. Senate leadership positions are elected from within the parties, as in the House. The Majority Leader is the most powerful position in the Senate, while in the House it is the second most powerful. Because the Senate is individualistic and deferential, minority members have far more power than in the House. Because the Senate is so small, virtually every experienced senator has some leadership position, even if it is only on a subcommittee. However, because of Senate rules and customs, leadership positions and committee chairmen are far less important in the Senate as compared to the House. President of the Senate President Pro Tempore Official party leadership