American Government
Unit 5: SSCG 9
Congressional Leadership
Organization of Congress
1. Every ______________, a new Congress is seated.
2. The first order of business is the election of leaders and adoption of _________________
a. Both houses of Congress are organized on the basis of party for both leadership and committee
purposes.
3. Each house has the power to organize itself:
1) ______________________________
- No mention of political parties in Constitution
- Create own rules
- Majority party
- Minority party –
- Each party has a leader
2) ____________________
3) ____________________
Congress Organizes
House of Reps
4. A clerk calls ____________ to order and checks roll.
5. The members choose a ________________ who takes an oath and swears in the rest of the House.
6. House elects _______________________, __________________________ and _____________________
_____________________________________.
Senate
7.
8. New and reelected members are ______________________ and __________________________ are filled.
9. Congress adjourns until the ____________________________.
American Government
Unit 5: SSCG 9
Congressional Leadership
Duties of Party Leaders
*
*
*
*
The Senate
10. President of the Senate:
11. President pro tempore:
Majority (Democratic) leadership
12. Majority Leader and Democratic Conference Chairman:
13. Majority Whip
Minority (Republican) leadership
14. Minority Leader:
15. Minority Whip:
The President of the Senate
16. Under the Constitution, the ______________________ serves as President of the Senate. He may vote in
the Senate in the case of a tie, but is not required to.
17. The ______________________________________ (and others designated by him) usually perform these
duties during the Vice President's frequent absences from the Senate.
18. The President Pro Tempore is also the ________________ person in the line of succession for the
Presidency, following the Vice President and the Speaker of the House.
American Government
Unit 5: SSCG 9
Congressional Leadership
House of Representatives
19. Speaker of the House:
Majority (Republican) leadership
20. Majority Leader:
21. Majority Whip:
Minority (Democratic) leadership
22. Minority Leader:
23. Minority Whip:
House Officer, Party Leader, and Representative
Speaker of the House
•The
Speaker of the House of Representatives is widely viewed as symbolizing the power and authority of the
House.
24. The Speaker’s most prominent role is that of _________________________________________________
25. *
26. *
27. *
Selection of the Speaker
28. When the House of Representatives convenes at the beginning of a new Congress, its first order of business
is ________________________________________________.
29. To be elected Speaker a candidate must receive an _____________________________________ of the
votes cast.
30. Speaker is going to be a member of the _________________________________
American Government
Unit 5: SSCG 9
Congressional Leadership
Majority, Minority Leaders and Whips
Senate:
Majority Leader:
31. Steers the party’s ______________through the Senate
32. Plans the Senate’s __________________________ and _______________ in consultation with the minority
leader
33. Makes sure that majority members ________________________________
34. Organizes ______________________on key bills
Minority leader:
35. _________________________________ of the majority party’s bills
36. Keeps minority party members __________________________________
House of Representatives
Majority Leader
37. _______________________ to the Speaker of the House
38. _______________________ the party’s legislative program
39. _________________________ important bills through the House
40. Makes sure the chairpersons of the committees ___________________________ on bills important to the
party
Minority Leader
41. _______________________ the party’s legislative agenda
42. _______________________ important bills through the House
Role of the Whip
Whips perform three primary functions:
43. ________________ the vote on key legislative objectives
44. ________________ information to Members and leadership
45. ________________strategy within the chamber
American Government
Unit 5: SSCG 9
Congressional Leadership
Mobilizing the Vote
46. Before a major vote comes to the floor, the Whip _______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
47. The Whip ensures that the leadership position has ____________________________________
Distributing Information
48. The Whip provides information to Members such as the upcoming ________________________
________________________
Coordinating Strategy
49. The Whip ____________________________ and ______________________ with the Speaker and
Majority Leader on the floor of the House of Representatives.
50. The Whip is expected to "____________________________________________" by ensuring that
Members will be present on the floor during close votes.
51. The Whip is largely responsible for coordinating voting strategy among the party members to
_______________________________________.