Introduction

At the beginning of each two-year congressional session, members of the House of Representatives and the Senate meet separately to organize and select their leaders. The Republicans call their internal party organization the "Conference" while Democrats call their party organization the "Caucus."

Both parties in each chamber hold organizational meetings where their members ect their own leadership, adopt internal rules for how their party will operate, and draft their version of the institutional rules for either the House or the Senate. These meetings are closed to the public and to the press.

The Senate Web site has an excellent depiction of the leadership structure there:

 http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/e_one_section_no_teasers/org_chart.htm

 http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Majority_Minority_Leaders.htm

The House puts links to leadership offices at:

 http://www.house.gov/house/orgs_pub_hse_ldr_www.shtml.

House Democratic Leadership Positions

Speaker of the House. The position of Speaker is established in the U.S. Constitution and is the most senior officer of the House of Representatives (and the third most senior official in the entire federal government.) Institutionally, the Speaker holds broad-ranging powers and presides over debate in the House, makes rulings on points of order, has priority right of recognition on the floor, and sets the agenda by deciding what and when legislation comes before the House. In addition, the Speaker appoints task forces and commissions and oversees the management of support functions to the House. Finally, by modern practice, the Speaker serves as the primary spokesperson for his congressional party.

House Majority Leader. The Majority Leader, the second most senior official in the House, is by recent practice the day-to-day manager of business on the House floor.

House Majority Whip. The responsibilities of the Majority Whip include persuading Members to support the party's position on votes and projecting support for the party's position. The Majority Whip is assisted by a network of members assigned to count votes and "whip" or convince their colleagues to supporting their party's legislative position.

House Democratic Caucus. The House Democratic Caucus serves all Democratic Members of the House and their staff. The Caucus is the primary vehicle for communicating the party's message to Members. The House Democratic Caucus has a chairman who directs day-to-day operations of the Caucus and is assisted by a vice chairman, both of which are elected positions.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is appointed by the Majority Leader and oversees the political committee of House Democrats which is not funded by tax dollars nor located in the congressional complex.

House Republican Leadership Positions

House Minority Leader. The Minority Leader serves as the senior official for the minority party in the House, currently the Republicans. As leader of the minority party in the House, the Minority Leader works with Republicans to set the party agenda, message, and strategy. From time to time, the Minority Leader appoints members of his party to task forces and also has statutory responsibilities to fill positions on commissions.  Republicans prefer to all the Minority Leaders the Republican Leader.

House Minority Whip. The responsibilities of the Minority Whip are counting votes and persuading Members to support the Republican Conference’s position on votes.

House Republican Conference. The House Republican Conference is the organizational vehicle for all Republican Members of the House and their staff. The Conference hosts periodic meetings of House Republicans and is the primary vehicle for communicating the party's message to Members. The House Republican Conference has a Chairman who directs day-to-day operations of the Conference office and staff and is assisted by an elected vice-chairman and a secretary.

House Republican Policy Committee. The chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee assists leaders and committee chairs (or ranking members when the Republicans are not in the majority) in designing, developing, and executing policy ideas within the Congress.

National Republican Congressional Committee. The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) oversees the political committee of House Republicans which is not funded by tax dollars nor located in the congressional complex.

Senate Leadership Positions

Senate Majority Leader. The Majority Leader is in a practical sense the most senior Senate official (the President and the President pro-tempore of the Senate are largely ceremonial positions.) As the day-to-day manager of business on the Senate floor, the Majority Leader is responsible for working with each committee on legislation and scheduling the sequence and manner of debate on all legislation. As the highest ranking partisan position in the Senate, the Majority Leader exercises broad powers, has the right of priority recognition on the Senate floor, and serves as the primary spokesperson for his party in the Senate.

Senate Assistant Majority Leader. The responsibilities of the Assistant Majority Leader are similar to that of the House Whip: persuading Members to support the party's position on votes and projecting support for the party's position.

Senate Minority Leader. The Senate Minority Leader serves as the senior official for the minority party, Republicans currently. The Minority Leader is selected by a vote of the Republican Conference. As leader of the minority party in the Senate, the Minority Leader works with the conference to set the party's agenda, message, and strategy. From time to time, the Minority Leader appoints members of his party to task forces and also has statutory responsibilities to fill positions on commissions.

Senate Minority Whip. The Senate Minority Whip is the second ranking leadership position for the minority party. The responsibilities of the Minority Whip, who is assisted by one or more Deputy Whips, principally consist of counting votes and persuading Members to support the party's position on votes.

Senate Republican Conference. The Senate Republican Conference is the organizational vehicle for all Republican Members of the Senate and their staff. The Conference hosts periodic meetings of Senate Republicans and is the primary vehicle for communicating the party's message to Members.

Senate Republican Policy Committee. The Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee assists all party leaders and committee chairmen in designing, developing and executing policy ideas within the Senate.

National Republican Senatorial Committee. The Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) oversees the political committee of Senate Republicans which is not funded by tax dollars nor located in the Congressional complex.

Senate Democratic Conference Secretary. The Senate Democratic Conference Secretary is the third ranking leadership position for the minority party. The Democratic Conference Secretary is selected by a vote of the Democratic Conference. The Senate Democratic Conference is the organizational vehicle for all Democrat Members of the Senate and their staff. The Conference hosts periodic meetings of Senate Democrats and is the primary vehicle for communicating the party's message to Members.

Senate Democratic Policy Committee. The Senate Democratic Policy Committee (DPC) is the policy-making arm of the Senate Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and an appointed co-chair work to develop policy proposals that will then be presented to the members of the Senate Democratic Conference for consideration.

Senate Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. The Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is appointed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The chairman of the DSCC oversees the political committee of Senate Democrats which is not funded by tax dollars nor located in the Congressional complex. The chairman of the DSCC added by a vice chair is responsible for coordinating the efforts of Senate Democrats with a strategy to elect Democrats to the United States Senate.

Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee.The Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee is responsible for building coalitions with Democrats at all levels of government, and with advocacy organizations in pursuit of the policy objectives of the Senate Democratic Conference. The Chairman of the Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee is appointed by the Majority Leader.