1. How Congress is Organized
Every two years, a new Congress is seated.
The first order of business is the election of leaders and adoption of new rules.
Both houses of Congress are organized on the basis of party for both leadership and committee purposes. (Vote ¾ of the time with their parties)

2. House of Representatives
Speaker
Presides over HOR
Appoints select and conference committees
Appoints Rules committee
Recognizes those on floor for debate
Assigns bills to committees
2nd in line for Presidency after VP

3. HOR Majority/Minority Leader
Partisan position picked by respective parties
Floor leader and legislative strategist
Responsible for scheduling bills and rounding up votes for bills that parties favor

4. HOR Majority Whip/Minority Whip Assistant floor leader
Inform party leaders on the “mood” of the house
Keep nose count on important votes
Pressure members to support leadership

5. Senate Vice President President of the Senate Presides over the Senate
Votes in case of a tie

6. Senate President Pro Tempore Ceremonial Job
Presides when the VP is absent
3rd in line for the Presidency after the speaker
Orrin Hatch

7. Senate Majority Leader/Minority Leader Whips (Same in HOR)
Most influential leader in the Senate
Recognized first for all debates
True leader of majority party
Determines the Senate’s agenda
Whips (Same in HOR)

8. Committees Standing Committees Joint Committees
Select/Special Committees
Conference Committees

9. Committee Assignments
Democrats: Steering and Policy Committee
This is the Democratic “caucus” that assigns them
Republicans: Committee on Committees
This is the Republican “conference” that assigns them

10. Committee Membership
The percentage of a committee reflects overall percentage of political party members in respective chamber
Members desire relevant committees related to districts and/or experience
Ambitious members strive for membership in major standing committees and/or become chairperson
Committee assignments based on party leadership and patronage

11. Committee Leadership Committees are headed by a CHAIRPERSON
All chairpersons are from the majority party in the respective chamber
Set committee agendas, assign subcommittee members, decide on hearings and witnesses
Used to be based on seniority system
Now usually long-standing member of committee

12. Majority Party Has: More members on each committee and subcommittee
All Committee chairmanships
Usually the senior member of the majority party (person with longest COMMITTEE service, not necessarily CONGRESSIONAL service) but has largely been replaced by secret ballot voting
All subcommittee chairmanships
Senior member of the minority party is known as the ranking member