Duties of Congressional Leadership Positions
At the start of each congressional session, Republican and Democratic party members meet separately to choose their leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate. These meetings, called a caucus by the Democrats and a conference by the Republicans, are closed to the the public. Titles of leaders and subordinates vary between the parties, but their functions remain relatively the same.
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History
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The U.S. Constitution establishes three official Congressional positions: the speaker of the House, the president of the Senate, and the president pro tempore. All others are a product of function or tradition, and several have ties to politics rather than policy. The speaker presides over debate in the House, sets its agenda, and appoints commissions to oversee legislative matters. She is the spokesperson for her party in the lower chamber and is third in line for the presidency.
Misconceptions
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The vice president of the United States serves as the president of the Senate, but cannot address the Senate directly. He is expected to remain neutral during Senate business regardless of his political affiliation. The vice president's office is funded through the legislature's budget, though his chief role is simply to cast tie-breaking votes. The president pro tempore is a mostly honorary position given to the longest-serving member of the majority party. His primary function is to preside over the Senate in the vice president's absence, but the majority leader conducts the general operation of the Senate. The president pro tem is fourth in line for the presidency.
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Features
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The Senate majority leader schedules legislative debate, determines who will speak on the Senate floor, appoints committee members and acts as party spokesperson. The Senate minority leader appoints committee members and determines party strategy for countering the majority party's agenda.
The House majority leader assists the speaker in managing business on the floor and ensuring party member support for legislation. The House minority leader counts party votes and rallies support for his party's legislative positions. Republicans refer to their minority leaders as Republican leaders.
Function
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The House majority and minority whips "whip" up support for their respective party's legislative positions. The Democratic whip also appoints his party's Congressional Campaign Committee Chair, who runs the Democrats' political operations in the House. The Senate assistant majority and minority leaders operate much as the House whips do, drumming up party support for or against various bills.
Considerations
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Both parties rely on committees to achieve political and policy advantages. The Senate Republican Policy Committee creates and implements policy ideas while the National Republican Senatorial Committee is a political body, supporting the campaigns of Senate candidates. Democrats rely on the Senate Democratic Policy Committee to develop policy proposals, leaving political aspirations and decisions to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. The Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee builds coalitions between federal, state and local officials, coordinating the efforts of senators, representatives, local policymakers and constituents.
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