House leadership

This page focuses on the positions which comprise the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives.

House leadership in the 111th Congress
The following members were selected by House Democrats to serve in the leadership during the 111th Congress:

Republican Leadership
The following members were selected by House Republicans to serve in the leadership during the 111th Congress:

Speaker of the House
The Speaker of the House is the highest ranking member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The office of Speaker was created by the US Constitution. While there is no Constitutional requirement, as a practical matter, the Speaker always belongs to the majority party, and also serves as that party’s leader. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) is the Speaker for the 110th Congress. 

Both the election and responsibilities of the Speaker are detailed in House Rule 1 of the House rules.

The Speaker is the second in line to follow the president should he become unable to hold office (following the Vice President of the United States), as dictated in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. As of 2006, no Speaker has ever vaulted to this position. 

House Majority Leader
The House Majority Leader is second to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in the majority party hierarchy. A representative is elected to the post by the majority party’s conference in organizational meetings prior to the start of a new Congress. While there are no official Constitutional responsibilities, historically the Majority Leader has worked closely with the Speaker and been responsible for scheduling legislation for floor consideration. The Majority Leader also helps plan daily, weekly, and annual legislative agendas; consults with Members to gauge the climate on particular issues; urges colleagues to support or defeat measures on the floor, and works to advance the goals of the majority party. Lastly, the majority leader is also responsible for monitoring floor activities, particularly the opposition party’s parliamentary maneuvers. 

Rep. Steny Hoyer was chosen by the Democrats to serve as Majority Leader for the 110th Congress. 

House Minority Leader
The House Minority Leader serves as the minority party’s counterpart to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. A representative is elected to the post by the minority party caucus or conference at organizational meetings prior to the start of a new Congress. The Minority Leader speaks for the minority party and its policies, strives to protect the minority’s rights, and devises parliamentary strategies and tactics for maximizing the influence of the minority party on legislative outcomes. In addition, the Minority Leader chairs the party’s committee assignment panel, and similar to the Speaker, serves as a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Traditionally, the Minority Leader does not lead floor debate on major measures. John Boehner (R-Ohio) is the Minority Leader for the 109th Congress. 

House Whips
In the House, members of both the majority and minority party elect a Whip at the commencement of each Congress. The term "whip" is originally derived from the British fox hunting term "whipper in," which described the person responsible for keeping the foxhounds from leaving the pack. The title was first used in the British House of Commons in the late 1700s to describe the officials responsible for gathering votes on a given issue. 

In the U.S. Congress, both the House Majority Whip and House Minority Whip are responsible for mobilizing the party vote on important legislation, acting as a liaison between members and the leadership, and coordinating strategy within the the respective parties. Whips are responsible for calculating "head counts" prior to important votes. The undecided members are important when close votes are expected, and become prime targets for the persuasive efforts of the Whips. These counts help the Speaker make important decisions, such as when a measure is ready for the floor, or the Minority Leader in planning opposition to a bill. 

Each Whip has a staff of employees, and supervises numerous colleagues who serve as assistant whips: chief deputy whips, deputy whips, at-large whips, zone or regional whips. Whips also serve a communications role, expressing the intentions and wishes of the Speaker or Minority Leader, and issuing both daily and weekly "Whip Notices," announcing changes to the floor schedule to help members plan their travel. 

The House Majority Whip is the third-ranking member of the majority party, behind both the Speaker and the Majority Leader. The House Minority Whip is the second-ranking member of the minority party, behind only the Minority Leader. 

Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C) was chosen as Majority Whip for the 110th Congress. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), the previous Majority Whip, will serve as Minority Whip.

Republican leadership for the 110th Congress
* Position is not an official House leadership position but is part of the caucus leadership.

Democratic leadership for the 109th Congress
* Position is not an official House leadership position but is part of the caucus leadership.

Resources

 * Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (Calif.)
 * Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio)
 * Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)
 * House Majority Whip James Clyburn (S.C.)
 * House Minority Whip 	Eric Cantor (Va.)
 * Democratic Caucus Chair John Larson (Ct.)
 * Republican Conference Chair Mike Pence (Ind.)
 * The Center on Congress at Indiana University

Articles

 * Thomas P. Carr, "CRS Report for Congress," U.S. House of Representatives, 2004.