Congressional Leadership November 7, 2017
House Party Leadership Majority Party Minority Party House Party Leadership Speaker of the House Majority Leader Majority Whip Minority Leader Minority Whip Today (2017), Republicans are in the majority in the House; Democrats in the minority Which party is in the majority in the House? Which is in the minority?
Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Who are these people? Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
Tea Party in the House Speaker Ryan has trouble uniting House Republicans because of the opposition of the Freedom Caucus, a group of about 40 Republican House members who identify with the Tea Party.
The Freedom Causes embraces conservative policy positions while rejecting compromise.
Senate Leadership
Senate Party Leadership Majority Party Minority Party Senate Party Leadership Minority Leader Minority Whip Majority Leader Majority Whip Republicans are the majority; Democrats are the minority. Today (2017), who are the Democrats and who are the Republicans?
Who are these folks? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer
Vice President Mike Pence Constitutional presiding officer Votes to break a tie But—an outsider who seldom spends time in the chamber Role of VP Who is this guy? Vice President Mike Pence
The Constitution designates the senate president pro tempore as the presiding officer in the Senate in the vice president's absence. The Senate customarily elects the senator from the majority party with the greatest length of service, or seniority, in the chamber. It’s an honorary position. Senate Pres. Pro Temp Senator Oren Hatch of Utah who first took office in 1977 is the Senate President Pro Temp. He was born in 1934.
Leadership Powers Appoint members to special committees Influence assignment to regular committees Assign bills to committee Control flow of business on the floor Work with party members to set goals Work with party members to assemble winning coalitions National spokespersons for party Work with president of same party to plan legislative strategy Leadership Powers
Collegial Leadership Leadership positions are elected. Leaders work with members of their party to help them achieve goals--reelection, influence in national politics, policy enactment, and election to higher office. When President Obama took office in 2009, these folks were the leaders of the House and Senate.
Minority Leadership Defines party program in chamber Plans strategy Unites members in opposition Goal is to become majority Mitch McConnell: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” –Nov. 2010
President & Congress United Government Divided Government 2009-2011, 2017- 2011-2017 Critically evaluates presidential initiatives Investigates administration Blocks appointments Works closely with White House Passes presidential initiatives Approves appointments
What You Have Learned What officials comprise the leadership of the House? How did the Tea Party make life difficult for Speaker Boehner? What officials comprise the leadership of the Senate? What role does the minority party leadership play in Congress? What is the relationship of Congress and the president when government is unified? When it is divided?