Chapter 12
Section 1
Congress Comes Together
• A new term begins on
January 3 in odd
numbered years
• Clerk of the House calls
members to order
• Speaker of the House
chosen
– Member of the majority
party
– Swears in other members
Congress Comes Together (cont.)
• House also elects
clerk, sergeant-atarms, chaplain
• In the Senate, new and
reelected members are
sworn in
• Members of both
houses are assigned to
committees
Presiding Officers
• Vice President is President of
the Senate
– Only votes to break ties
– Who is the current President of
the Senate?
• In the VP’s absence, the
President pro tempore takes his
place
– Currently Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
– 4th in line to be President
• Speaker of the House is John
Boehner (R-OH)
– Keeps order
– Breaks ties
– 3rd in line to be President
Who are the party officers?
• Chosen at the party
caucuses (meetings)
• Floor leaders (party
leaders and organizers)
• Majority leaders:
– House: Kevin McCarthy (RCA)
– Senate: Harry Reid (D-NV)
• Minority leaders:
– House: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
– Senate: Mitch McConnell (RKY)
More Party Officers
• Assistants to the floor
leaders are called whips
– House Majority Whip: Steve
Scalise (R-LA)
– House Minority Whip: Steny
Hoyer (D-MD)
– Senate Majority Whip: Dick
Durbin (D-IL)
– Senate Minority Whip: John
Cornyn (R-TX)
– Encourage party members to
be present for key votes and
to vote with the party
Representation by State, 113th Senate
Representation by District, 113th
House
Representation by Seats, 112th
Congress
Representation by Seats, 113th
Congress
Who are the committee chairmen?
• Committee chairmen:
lead standing
committees in
Congress
– Schedule meetings
– Set agenda
– Lead discussion
• Seniority rule:
members who have
served the longest get
most important jobs