Unit 3: Structure and Functions
of the Federal Government
Three branches compose the basic
structure of the federal government.
Public policy is created through the
making of laws, the execution of the
laws and the adjudication of disputes
under the laws.
Content Statements
Law and public policy are created and
implemented by three branches of government;
each functions with its own set of powers and
responsibilities.
The political process creates a dynamic
interaction among the three branches of
government in addressing current issues.
Congressional Leadership
U.S. Senate
Leadership Position
Description & Job Duties
Method of Selection
Description & Job Duties
Method of Selection
U.S. Vice President
President Pro Tempore
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
U.S. House of Representatives
Leadership Position
Speaker
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Legislative Branch
Section 4: Organization of Congress
Terms and Sessions
– Every 2 years, all House of Reps and 1/3 of
Senators
– New term begins Jan. 3
– Each Congress is numbered
• 1st was 1789-1790
• 112th was 2011-2012
– Each term divided into two 1-year sessions
– Quorum (majority) must be present to conduct
business
Term Limits—none for Congress
– For—get new people in
– Against—want consistency
– Incumbents—current officeholders, they usually win
re-election
Congressional Leaders
• *Majority party—holds most seats
• *Minority party—holds fewer seats
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
President Pro Tempore
Majority Leader
Majority Whip
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Minority Leader
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
Congressional Leadership
How do congressional leaders maintain
order and facilitate the legislative process?
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden
President Pro Tempore
Majority Leader
Majority Whip
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Minority Leader
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
President of the Senate
Joe Biden - U.S. Vice President (D)
•Does not debate bills or
address the Senate
•Votes only if there is a tie
•Presides over official
electoral college vote
•Presides over Federal
impeachment cases (except
President… Chief Justice
presides in these cases)
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Majority Whip
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Minority Leader
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Minority Leader
Harry Reid – (D)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid (D)
•Most Senior Senate Official
•Day-to-Day manager of business in Senate
•Primary spokesperson for his party
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Harry Reid – (D)
Mitch McConnell – (R)
Majority Whip
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell (R)
•Most Senior Official For Minority Party
•Set party Agenda and Strategy
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Harry Reid – (D)
Mitch McConnell – (R)
Majority Whip
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Minority Whip
Dick Durbin – (D)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
Senate Majority Whip
Richard Durbin (D)
•Persuade Members to vote on party
lines
•Ensure bills have enough support to
pass
•“whip up support” for party
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Harry Reid – (D)
Mitch McConnell – (R)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Dick Durbin – (D)
Jon Kyl – (R)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
Senate Minority Whip
Jon Kyl (R)
•Persuade Members to vote on party lines
•Ensure bills have enough support to pass
•“whip up support” for party
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
John Boehner (R)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Harry Reid – (D)
Mitch McConnell – (R)
Majority Whip
Dick Durbin – (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl – (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
Speaker of the House
John Boehner (R)
•Presides over the House of Representatives
•Sets the agenda for legislation
•Primary Spokesperson for his or her party
•Most Senior official in House of
Representatives
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
John Boehner (R)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Eric Cantor (R)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Harry Reid – (D)
Mitch McConnell – (R)
Majority Whip
Majority Whip
Dick Durbin – (D)
Minority Whip
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl – (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
House Majority Leader
Eric Cantor- (R)
•Leader of the Majority Party
•Second most senior official in House
of Reps.
•Recently day-to-day manager of
business on house floor
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
John Boehner (R)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Harry Reid – (D)
Mitch McConnell – (R)
Majority Whip
Dick Durbin – (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Eric Cantor (R)
Nancy Pelosi (D)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl – (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
House Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi (D)
•Most senior official of minority party
•Leader of Minority Party
•Set party agenda, message, and strategy
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
John Boehner (R)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Harry Reid – (D)
Mitch McConnell – (R)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Eric Cantor (R)
Nancy Pelosi (D)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Kevin McCarthy (R)
Majority Whip
Dick Durbin – (D)
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl – (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
House Majority Whip
Kevin McCarthy (R)
•Persuade Members to vote on party lines
•Ensure bills have enough support to pass
•“whip up support” for party
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Vice President
Speaker
Joe Biden (D)
John Boehner (R)
President Pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Harry Reid – (D)
Mitch McConnell – (R)
Majority Whip
Dick Durbin – (D)
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Eric Cantor (R)
Nancy Pelosi (D)
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Kevin McCarthy (R)
Steny Hoyer (D)
Minority Whip
Jon Kyl – (R)
Rank-and-File Representatives
Rank-and-File Senators
House Minority Whip
Steny Hoyer (D)
•Persuade Members to vote on party lines
•Ensure bills have enough support to pass
•“whip up support” for party
The Legislative Branch
Section 5: The Committee System
Committee System Questions
1. What is the purpose of the committees?
2. What is a standing committee? A subcommittee? A
select committee? A joint committee? A conference
committee?
3. Members of Congress who have served
the longest often head key committees
and have an important voice in passing
legislation. Do you think this seniority
system helps Congress to operate more
effectively? EXPLAIN!
The Committee System
“Congress in the Committee is Congress at
work”
-Woodrow Wilson
Purpose of Committees
• Committees
ease
Congressional
workload by
dividing work
among small
groups.
Purpose of Committees
•Committees allow
members to discuss
and select the most
important bills
Congress will consider.
Kinds of Committees
•Standing committees
deal with certain issues
continuing from one
Congress to the next.
•Judiciary Committee
Kinds of Committees
•Subcommittees handle
special subcategories of
standing committees’
work, and also continue
from one Congress to
the next.
•Social Security
Kinds of Committees
•Select committees are
special committees
created in both houses of
Congress for one term to
study a specific topic.
•9/11 Commission
Kinds of Committees
• Joint Committees – members
from both Houses.
•Taxation
• Conference Committees –
temporary committees set up
to resolve differences in the
House and Senate version of
a bill.
Choosing Members
•Assigning members to
various committees is a
key decision in the
organization of
Congress.
Choosing Members
• Membership on certain committees…
1.Helps members build reputations and
increase their chances for reelection.
2.Gives members a chance to influence
important national legislation.
3.Enables members to influence other
members since those committees deal
with issues that are important to all
members.
Choosing Members
• In both houses, parties
assign members to the
standing committees
• Party leaders and
chairpersons of the standing
committees are the most
important members of
Congress.
Choosing Members
•Standing committee
chairpersons make key
decisions about the
work of their
committees, though
their power has
decreased.
Discussion Question
• Members of Congress who
have served the longest often
head key committees and
have an important voice in
passing legislation. Do you
think this seniority system
helps Congress to operate
more effectively? EXPLAIN!