Congress Presiding Officers
US Government
House of Representatives
• Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi(D)
Leader of both the House and Majority
Party. Steers floor action, keep order
Congressional Party Officers
• House Majority Leader: Steny Hoyer (D)
More powerful than minority leader,
carries out legislative agenda of his or her
party, appoints people to committee’s,
gets national exposure and access to
press.
House Minority Leader
• Less powerful than majority, works with
Speaker of the House and Majority leader
to plan agenda
• Usually has decent access to press to
rebuttal or counter majority arguments or
agenda
• John Boehner-Rep
Whips
*Assistant Floor Leaders
Chosen by party caucus (meeting) at the
beginning of each Congressional session
almost always at recommendation of the
floor leader
*Liaison or link between party leadership
and its members
*Informs floor leaders of attendance, votes,
makes sure they are present
Whips-House
• Majority Whip
• James Clyburn D
Minority Whip
Eric Cantor- R
President of the Senate
• Joe Biden-Vice President (D)
Senate does not choose presiding officer
Unlike SOH, is not a member of the Senate
*Powers: recognize members, put questions
to a vote
*Cannot debate on the floor, and only votes to
break a tie
President Pro Tempore
• Serves in Vice Presidents absence
• Elected by the Senate and is always a
leading member of the majority party,
usually the longest serving member
• Robert Byrd (D)
• Follows the Speaker of the House in
President succession
Senate Majority Leader
• Same powers as House majority leader:
carries out legislative agenda of party,
appoints party members to committee’s.
Harry Reid-Democrat from Nevada
Senate Minority Leader
• More exposure than House minority
• Leads minority party in blocking or
delaying majority policy -filibuster
• Seeks to compromise to allow agenda to
floor
• Sen Mitch McConnell-R
Senate Whips
• Minority Whip: John Kyl (R)
Majority Whip: Richard Durbin (D) Ill
Your Turn
• Fill in the worksheet of each House’s
leadership:
• Senate:
President of the Senate---Pres Pro Temp
Sen Majority and Minority Leaders
Sen Majority and Minority Whips
Reciprocate the same process for the house