Role of Leadership in Legislative Process
Speaker of the House
The Speaker presides over all sessions of the House, or appoints a temporary presiding
officer. No member may speak until recognized by the Speaker. The Speaker interprets
and applies the rules, refers bills to the standing committees, rules on points of order
(questions of procedure raised by members), puts questions to vote, and decides the
outcome of most of the votes taken. The Speaker also names the members of all select
and conference committees and signs all bills and resolutions passed by the House.
As a member, the Speaker may debate and vote on any matter before the House. But if he
chooses to do so, he must appoint a temporary presiding officer (the Speaker pro
tempore), and that member then occupies the Speaker's chair. The Speaker does not often
vote, and the House rules say that he must vote only to break a tie. Notice then, because a
tie vote defeats a question, the Speaker can occasionally vote to cause a tie and so defeat
a proposal.
President Pro Tempore
In the absence of the vice president, the president pro tempore may sign legislation, and
may fulfill all other obligations of the presiding officer. Unlike the vice president,
however, the president pro tempore cannot vote to break a tie vote in the Senate. Also, in
the absence of the vice president, the president pro tempore jointly presides with the
Speaker of the House when the two houses sit together in joint sessions or joint meetings.
The President Pro Tempore usually chooses a lower ranking member of his or her party
to lead the daily activities in the Senate.
House and Senate Majority and Minority Leader
The House of Representatives has chosen majority and minority leaders since the 19th
century to speed up legislative business and to keep their parties united. These leaders are
elected every two years in secret balloting of the party caucus or conference. The role of
the majority and minority leaders has been defined by history and tradition. These
officers are charged with scheduling legislation for floor consideration; planning the
daily, weekly, and annual legislative agendas; consulting with members of their party to
gauge party sentiment; and, in general, working to advance the goals of their parties.
House and Senate Majority and Minority Whips
The principle task of a party whip is to keep track of the number of votes for and against
a piece of legislation. They're also responsible for "whipping up" support for a particular
position. The term “whipping up support” simply means convincing people to vote a
certain way.