US Gov Unit 8

Leadership+Organization of Congress

Speaker of the House

Presiding officer of the House; from the majority party

House majority leader

Develops majority support for the party’s legislation; also the chief assistant to the Speaker

Minority leader

The main spokesperson for the minority party and set up strategy for the party

Whips

Provides a link with party leaders and congressional membership; they are appointed by the majority and minority leaders

President Pro Tempore

senior member of the majority party in the senate

senate majority leader

responsible for organizing the majority party in the senate; serves as a link to the president

Standing committee

Permanent committees in congress

subcommittee

under the standing committees and carry most of the workload

Select committee

committees set up from time to time to deal with special problems

Joint Committee

composed of equal numbers from both houses of congress and promotes cooperation between the two houses

Conference Committee

resolves differences between the house and the senate on certain bills

Library of Congress

houses all copyrighted material in the United States

House- Republicans

Senate- Democrats

What political party has the majority in the House and which has majority in the senate

Vice President

Who presides over the Senate?

Ways + Means, Foreign Relations, Rules

3 of the most powerful committees

1. concerned directly with their home district or state
2. helps shape national policy
3. provides power in Congress

3 kinds of committee assignments that are the most sought after

Approve or Reject bills that are trying to become Law

Main purpose of Standing Committee

Representative- 3

Senator- 4

Average # of committees Representatives of the House serve on and average # of committees Senators serve on

1. set the committee schedule
2. decide when bills will be considered

2 responsibilities of a Committee Chairperson

1. experience
2. resolves conflict

2 arguments for using Seniority to elect a Committee Chairperson

1. rewards members from safe districts
2. not based on ability

2 arguments against using Seniority to elect a Committee Chairperson