The U.S. Congress: Structure, Party Organization, and Leadership

Abstract

This chapter explores the apparent paradox between the drive toward autonomy on the part of the more junior members and the apparent stability of congressional leadership. It examines the history of party organization in Congress and describes the contemporary House and Senate, their structures, party organizations, and leadership. The primary responsibility of floor leaders—majority and minority—is to organize their party's forces to develop winning coalitions on key votes. The majority leader is the Speaker's principal assistant; the minority leader heads the opposition. The whip is generally viewed as the third-ranking leader in the House majority party and the second-ranking official in the minority party. Democrats and Republicans have also created other party offices; the most important are the chairmen of their respective patty caucuses and policy committees. Party leadership and organization has never been as complex or intense in the Senate as it is in the House of Representatives.