 Each house has rules to conduct business  Most business is carried out by committees  Especially in House where membership is so large  Party membership guides Congress  Majority party organizes committees  House must have a quorum  Majority to vote on bills

 Coordinate work by meeting six goals:  Organizing and unifying party members  Scheduling work  Ensuring lawmakers are present for key votes  Distributing and collecting information  Keeping the House in touch with the President  Influencing lawmakers to support their party’s position

 The Speaker of the House  Influence proceedings by choosing who speaks  Appoints members of some committees  Schedules bills for action  Follows VP in line for Presidency  A caucus of the majority party chooses Speaker  Other House Leaders  Majority leader – speaker’s assistant ▪ Floor leader, can schedule work in House  Whips – assistant floor leaders  Minority leader and minority whips ▪ Cannot schedule work

 Proposed law is called a bill  Speaker of House sends bills to committee for review  10-20% make it out of committee  Bills surviving are placed on calendars  Major bills will go to House Rules Committee  Reach floor by special order  Rules Committee can delay bills they do not want to come to a vote

 Deliberate on public policies  Vice president presides over Senate  Votes only to break a tie  President pro tempore presides when VP is absent  Majority Leader – steers party’s bills through  Ensures Senators are there to vote for key bills  Minority Leader – critiques majority party’s bills  Keeps his/her party united

 Filibuster bills  Extend debate to prevent a bill from coming to a vote  Cloture – stops a filibuster  Limits the debate by allowing Senators one hour to speak  Majority party controls the flow of bills