Who Can Participate in a Caucus?
There are many types of caucuses, and the participant list usually depends on what level of government the caucus is taking place in and the subject matter. Congress often has closed-door caucuses to build consensus around legislation and policy.
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Private Meetings
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The U.S. Senate's glossary describes a caucus as an informal gathering of House and Senate members to discuss and research issues. In 2009, during the debate over the $900 billion health care bill, Democrats met in a closed-door caucus to discuss changes to win moderate support for the bill.
Political Caucus
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In Congress, there are also groups of lawmakers who organize themselves into caucuses because they share the same political positions or are in the same region of the country. For example, the Congressional Black Caucus is made up of only black members of Congress, and only members of this group can attend its meetings.
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Iowa Caucuses
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Every two years in Iowa, caucuses are convened to choose candidates and debate a political party platform. Any registered voter who provides proof of residence can attend the Iowa caucuses, and its results are the first step in the nomination process of the president.
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