1. Congressional Leadership
Capital Building
Chapter 12.1

2. Congressional Terms
20th Amendment: Term begins on Jan. 3 of odd # years (used to be March 4th but was changed to prevent “lame duck” spending)
Floor Action: members discuss & vote on legislation (mostly happens between Tuesday & Thursday)
Special Session: President can call members together even when Congress is not in session (usually during emergencies!)
Joint Session: both houses meet together (State of the Union)
Party Caucus: each political party meets before start of new session to pick leaders and discuss issues

3. Speaker of the House Most powerful member
Always from the majority party
Loyal party member w/ high seniority
Powers:
Presides over House debates
(decides who will speak & for how long)
Influences committee assignments
Assigns bills to committees
Nancy Pelosi (D)

4. House Majority Leader Chief strategist and spokesperson for majority
party
Duties:
Get legislation passed through the House
Requires a skilled and energetic person
Steny Hoyer (D)

5. House Minority Leader Party Whips
Organizes opposition (minority) party
Party Whips
Assistant Floor Leader
Gather party’s opinions on legislation
Make sure members vote!
John Boehner (R)

6. Support Services
Library of Congress- largest library in the world! CRS (Congressional Research Service)
General Accounting Office- audits all activities to see if $$ is being spent legally. Led by the Comptroller General
Congressional Budget Office- CBO studies budget proposals, makes financial projections, and gives budget-making advice

7. Congressional Staffs- each member of Congress has his/her own staff
Congressional Staffs- each member of Congress has his/her own staff. Members of Congress are given a staff budget based on district population. Most have a Wash D.C. staff and a home district staff.

8. Senate Leaders
President of the Senate: Vice President of the U.S., presides over debates, casts deciding vote in case of a tie, makes official count of electoral college votes for President.
President Pro Tempore: takes place of Senate President, given to senior member, serves on committees, less powerful than the Speaker of the House.
Robert C. Byrd (D)

9. Senate Majority Leader
True leader of Senate
Develops legislative “game plan” for majority party
Chosen by the Senate
Harry Reid (D)

10. Senate Minority Leader
Leads opposition party’s legislation efforts
If elections change majority party, this person becomes Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell (R)

11. Senate Whips
Sway party members, gather support, make sure party members vote
Not as powerful as House Whips-senators tend to be more individual, not party, thinkers.

12. Seniority Rule
Most important positions in Congress will be held by members with longest service records
It is an unwritten custom