1. Congressional Leadership
2012

2. Vice-President
President of the Senate = Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden
Presiding Officer of Senate, rarely in attendance.
Can cast tie breaking vote.

3. US Senate Senate Majority Leader - Harry Reid (D-NV)
Gets to be recognized first in debate

4. Congressional Leadership US Senate
Majority Whip - Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
Organizes party for important votes
Encourages party line voting
Sends out info on daily legislation

5. Congressional Leadership US Senate
Minority Leader - Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Heads the opposition. Tries to accomplish the legislative goals of Republicans

6. Congressional Leadership US Senate
Minority Whip – Jon L. Kyl (R-AZ)
Guides legislation through Congress by trying to secure key votes

7. Congressional Leadership US Senate
President pro Tempore – Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI)
Position of honor usually given to senator of Majority Party w/ most seniority
Presides when President of Senate is not there
Often hands it over to junior senator

8. Important Chairpersons
Commerce – John D.Rockefeller
Foreign Relations Committee - John Kerry
Armed Services Committee – Carl Levin

9. Congressional Leadership House of Representatives
Speaker of the House - John A. Boehner (R-OH-8th)
Principal leader of majority party - voted in.
Chairs Steering Committee (assigns Reps and influences who will be a chair)

10. Congressional Leadership House of Representatives
Majority Leader - Eric I. Cantor (R-VA-7th)
Develops issues and policies for Republican party
Schedules legislative agenda (selects bills for consideration and timing)

11. Congressional Leadership House of Representatives
Majority Whip - Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-22nd)
Helps party leader keep up with thoughts of his party members
Rounds up members for important votes

12. Congressional Leadership - House of Representatives
Minority Leader - Nancy Pelosi, (D-CA-8th)
Responsible for setting up Democratic agenda and heading the opposition to the majority party
Spokesperson for party

13. Congressional Leadership House of Representatives
Minority Whip - Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD-5th) Mobilizes the party vote on important legislation
Role of the Whip: Can be traced back to the United Kingdom's Parliament which adopted the term Whip from the fox-hunting position, ‘whipper-in,' or the person who kept the fox hounds focused on their mission.

14. Other Chairpersons House Ways and Means – Dave Camp
House Appropriations – Hal Rogers

15. Pennsylvania’s Senators
Bob Casey (2006)
Patrick Toomey (2010)

16. Jim Gerlach (2002)

18. Patrick Meehan (2010)